India’s smaller cities are witnessing a rapid transition in both physical and  social infrastructure. While government agencies try to catch up with this transition, there is a growing power of citizens in the smaller cities that is helping balance this transition. Citizens, neighbourhood groups, and local organisations are constantly engaging with the city to redefine the way governance is practised. We saw this in action during Nāgrika’s “Power of Small Cities 2025” roundta

बाइक रैली से लेकर लोक गीतों तक, बड़े और छोटे शहर वोटरों को भारत के 2024 के आम चुनावों में ज्यादा से ज्यादा हिस्सा लेने के लिए हर तरह के प्रयास कर रहे हैं। लेकिन क्या ये पोस्टकार्ड और भावुक अपीलें प्रवासी मजदूरों, एनआरआई और पहली बार वोट देने वालों तक पहुंच पाएंगी? जैसे-जैसे गर्मी बढ़ रही है — असल और राजनीतिक दोनों तरह से — भारत की लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था एक नए और बड़े चुनौती के लिए तैयार हो रही है।

From cycle rallies to folk songs, cities big and small are trying everything to boost voter turnout for India's 2024 General Elections. But will postcards and poetic appeals be enough to reach migrant workers, NRIs, and first-time voters? As the heat rises, literally and politically, India’s democratic machinery gears up for a challenge like no other.

From the Magna Carta to India’s 74th Amendment, cities have long shaped the rules of governance and democracy. But despite efforts to empower urban local bodies, is real power truly in the hands of the people? With evolving forms of citizen participation and the rise of new technologies, cities are redefining what it means to be a democratic space. What role will cities play in the future of democracy?