National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has apparently let it be known that no matter who forms the next government, he will not be returning. This itself tells you about the ruling party-s nervousness over the election-s outcome. One of the new government-s first tasks will be to appoint a new NSA. Hopefully, it will not be a retired spy or diplomat. If the new government has imagination it could consider an academic, or better yet, a young parliamentarian.

My reasoning is two-fold: one, India has to break out of the unhealthy habit of appointing retired bureaucrats, many of whom served cautiously and without distinction, to sinecures that are just rewards of loyalty. Two, despite the best efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are still a parliamentary democracy with a Cabinet system of decision-making, and thus the next NSA-s appointment ought to be a part of restoring the Cabinet-s primacy.