The digital era has changed how people communicate, debate, and engage in democracy.

In states like Kerala, the announcement of a date for legislative assembly elections creates a near instant transformation in the public sphere. Discussions about elections, about candidates, policies, and alliances, move from party offices to virtually every corner of the state. People are discussing these topics in tea shops in rural villages, in jobs in large corporations, in hallways at universities and through electronic devices. This creates a daily lived experience of democracy for the citizens of Kerala.

While many aspects of our electoral process are exciting, many others often elude the interest of the average citizen; the evaluation of the electoral process does have many facets and is governed by an elaborate legal framework, which enables fair, equitable and transparent elections. Understanding how our democratic system is established, maintained and protected is a recurring topic at law college in Kerala, where students develop an understanding of the mechanics of a democracy as governed by the rule of law. Additionally, law colleges like Nehru Academy of Law provide an academic setting in which students study the constitutional principles, electoral laws and the way of governance in a democratic society, both through theory and practical application using a critical analytical lens. Once an election is called to order, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into play. The MCC is a set of rules that restricts those in the government from creating any new social programs or implementing any new policy decisions that would affect how voters make their choices. Though it is not a law created through Parliament's legislation, it operates under the authority of the Election Commission. It separates the ethical line for administrative actions from the ethical line for electoral/usual. The MCC is the foundation of competition in a democracy. The constitutional basis for the electoral system of India is found in Article 324 of the Constitution, which vests the Election Commission of India (an independent constitutional body) with the power to oversee and regulate elections. According to Articles 325 and 326 of the Constitution of India, electoral rolls must include all eligible voters regardless of religion, race, caste, or gender. In addition, Article 326 establishes a fundamental right to vote for all citizens who are at least eighteen years old, thereby ensuring that every citizen can participate fully in democracy.

Both the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Representation of the People Act, 1951, contain laws governing political elections; however, much of the specific law contained within these two statutes pertains to how elections actually happen (the act governing the conduct of an election) versus defining who may participate in an election (the act defining the rules for establishing who may vote). While much of the curriculum at BCom LLB colleges in Kerala does not specifically delve into these acts as individual pieces of law, many courses will refer to these two acts collectively when covering election law. Together with these two statutes, Articles 325 and 326 have played an integral role in shaping democracy within the Republic of India, protecting and furthering the principles of inclusive government.

Section 123 of the 1951 Act establishes corruption-type offences like vote buying and/or corruption based on faith-based appeal or fear tactics to ensure that election competition is fair and ethical. Section 77 of the same Act also regulates campaign spending to maintain fairness in campaigning between candidates, protects against undue financial pressure affecting a candidate’s ability to win an election, as well as ensuring that voters have an equal opportunity to support either candidate. The legal and regulatory aspects of these two provisions are also covered in some of the BBA LLB Colleges in Kerala throughout the state of Kerala, because the study is a combination of Law with Management studies. The role of the judiciary in preserving electoral integrity is substantial. A landmark case of Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975) was the United States Supreme Court ruling wherein it was stated that all elections must be open to constitutional review. The decision reinforced the idea that democracy develops under a legal system that is based upon the rule of law.

Despite having an extensive legal structure in place to support an open and fair electorate, people are still not aware of many of the laws surrounding the election process. Many individuals who vote in an election do not have a complete understanding of their rights and the legal protections available to them under the law. Because of this knowledge gap, the education associated with the law in relation to the electoral system can help improve public knowledge about the democracy in place.

Legal education institutions are strategically located to support the development of an informed citizenry capable of sustaining democracy through understanding and the application of constitutional, or governing, values. Nehru Academy of Law has become an important law academy in South India because it produces graduates who are not only prepared to enter the legal profession but are also informed citizens who value the Constitution and understand its value as the foundation of all laws governing India. The curriculum provides students with in-depth exposure to topics related to constitutional law, election law, and administrative law. Through this coursework, students are able to engage critically with the development of democracy and its democratic processes. In addition to developing a student's legal knowledge and expertise, this curriculum provides a framework within which students are able to develop a commitment to the principles of the public good, which is expected of every graduate of the top law colleges in Kerala. Voting, of course, is a principal component of democracy; however, democracy is also an ongoing, constitutionally-based process, and thus relies upon law, institutions, and informed citizenry, in addition to the act of voting. Legal education, therefore, remains vital to the development of those operations, as those operations will continue to contribute positively and strengthen democracy, long after the present graduates enter the profession.