In Bombay, Mehta points out, local politics is not about issues but about
loyalty to community bosses. It is also about the struggle for protection:
“Since the police have failed so miserably at curbing extortion, the public
might as well elect the extortionist himself to guarantee protection.” Mehta
goes on to note that, while forty thousand new cases are filed annually in
Bombay, the conviction rate for criminal offenses is less than five percent and
the handling of evidence in a civil case averages five years: “This means that