New Delhi: Forty-two former judges have issued an open letter warning against campaigns that could undermine the credibility of constitutional institutions. The letter comes amid a growing political row over the Election Commission of India, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and allegations of ‘vote theft’. The signatories include former Supreme Court judges Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Pankaj Mittal.
The former judges said criticism of constitutional institutions is a democratic right, but alleged attempts to denigrate them could weaken public trust. They particularly objected to Election Commission officials being described as ‘thieves’ or ‘compromised’ without supporting evidence.
The signatories said those making allegations of ‘vote theft’ should present evidence before the Election Commission or the courts and pursue grievances through established constitutional and legal mechanisms. They also cautioned against attempts to undermine the credibility of the electoral process through claims that are not supported by evidence.
The letter also defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a legally established exercise aimed at ensuring accurate voter lists. The former judges pointed to provisions for notice, hearing, objections and appeals in the process.
The intervention comes at a time when Opposition parties have intensified their protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR exercise. The Opposition has raised allegations concerning electoral rolls, while the Election Commission has rejected claims of vote theft. The former judges urged political parties to take their grievances to the Commission and courts with evidence rather than undermining the electoral process.
