42 former judges defend ECI, slam ‘calculated campaign’ driven by ‘vested political interests’

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The former judges also defended the Election Commission of India’s role in revising electoral rolls, saying the exercise was intended to support accurate voter lists and free and fair elections. Image used for representation purpose only. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Over 40 former Supreme Court and High Court judges have raised concerns over a “calculated campaign driven by vested political interests, with little regard for the potentially devastating consequences of destabilising the world’s largest democracy”.

“A party that governed this nation for over five decades now claims that the very system which elected it is rigged. It does not act alone. Activist outfits with a long record of selective litigation lend these claims a veneer of legality,” said 42 former judges in an open letter, without naming the party.

Among the signatories are former Supreme Court judges Hemant Gupta and Pankaj Mithal; former High Court Chief Justices B.C. Patel, Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Permod Kohli.

“They file petition, one after the other. They seldom file proof. The courtroom becomes a stage, and when the judgment is delivered, it is criticised whenever it does not serve their interests. Vitriol is then amplified and disseminated on an industrial scale, with the deliberate aim of eroding public confidence in a well-established and widely trusted judicial system,” the letter said.

Stating that allegations of “vote theft” were being made at press conferences and not before courts, the judges said: “When the Commission seeks a sworn declaration, none is filed. Electronic Voting Machines are blamed only after defeat. Victories won on the same machines go unquestioned.”

They said attacks on constitutional institutions had gone beyond legitimate criticism, with election officials facing public accusations and threats. They said no court had established the allegations being made against such authorities.

The former judges expressed concern over criticism of the Election Commission of India, the judiciary and statutory bodies, arguing that such conduct could weaken public confidence in institutions. The former judges also defended the Commission’s role in revising electoral rolls, saying the exercise was intended to support accurate voter lists and free and fair elections.

They urged political parties to pursue complaints through the Commission and courts, while asking the media to verify claims before reporting them. The judges also called on citizens to assess information carefully and appealed to protesters to exercise their rights peacefully.

Election Commission of India / judiciary (system of justice) / justice and rights / Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls

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