I agree Jeeves, but at times the tower tells you to expect landing clearance on short final. Of course it depends on ones defination of short final. If you fly in an out of MSP you'd know that 9 times out of ten you will get landing clearance at 100 AAL, I've had landing clearance issued when we were 50'. Local knowledge helps, and we knew that we will get landing clearance.
Of course in India at most places we are cleared to land before we get to FAA except DEL and BOM where it is usually on short final again.