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Last week a dynastic rule ended and stepping aside graciously the spokesman said, ` We humbly accept the verdict of the people of India. This was the response of the Congress Party to the resounding victory of Narendra Modi, the leader of the Hindu Nationalist Part, whose historic election victory was followed by his pledge to make the dreams of his 1.2 billion fellow Indians, come true. Nearer to home we have our own local and European elections this week, the Scottish referendum in September and just a year to go to the general elections. We’ve watched with a certain awe the voting appetite in India stretching over 5 weeks, mobilising almost 550 million people and using the most ingenious ways of ensuring that the rural as well as the urban get their say. By all accounts the passion and the zeal were palpable. Here though there are fears that our own electorate is either apathetic about voting or remains uninspired by the general rhetoric of our politicians. But elections matter not because they are about politicians but because they are about the people. Elections are the most visible element of a democracy and central to the quality of democratic governance. Despite the reasons why people vote for certain parties and names, elections should never be about personality cults; democracy is too precious for that; it’s a valuable commodity – revolutions are fought to win it and lives lost to defend it. Many of the coming elections are about something beyond the usual mix of fiscal policies, welfare systems and institutional reform. They’re also about making us reflect on our sense of belonging. A sense of belonging which doesn’t just come from calling a place home but how belonging is enhanced by active civic participation and struggle. Isn’t this what we’ve just witnessed in India? It seems to me that as well as being matter of civic responsibility, engaged citizenship is also fundamental to being a good Muslim. Human beings have been given the freedom to act, to aspire for good, to confront injustice – these are moral questions which appeal to our sense of emotional and intellectual struggle. In the Qur’an social involvement is tied to pluralism and if pluralism however contested is God’s will, then how does one live alongside others and foster a culture of community whether that is in India or elsewhere. As a Muslim I must live and encourage with both compassion and judgement the principles of coexistence as a divine command. Many of us feel disenchanted with politics but our participation isn’t just pseudo activity or nothingness; rather elections should prick our conscience. Whatever our own turn out, it’s worth remembering each of us has a stake in the moral and public life of our country. That is what elections are really about.