A collective of 124 retired civil servants, including former officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has publicly defended the Election Commission of India (ECI). The group issued an open letter amid ongoing political tensions regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and recent allegations of “vote chori” raised by Opposition parties. The former bureaucrats asserted that accusations of rigged elections, if made without verifiable evidence, risk undermining public confidence in the nation's democratic institutions.
Drawing on their professional backgrounds, which involved managing electoral rolls, polling logistics, and the security of strong rooms, the signatories contrasted the modern electoral environment with the past. They recalled eras marked by ballot-box theft, violence, and booth capturing, suggesting that contemporary systems have significantly evolved. The officers emphasized that rigging would necessitate a vast, coordinated conspiracy across political lines, noting, “A system cannot be honest when you win and rigged when you lose.”
The letter highlighted several procedural safeguards currently in place to maintain integrity. Specifically, the former officials pointed to the presence of candidate agents at polling booths, who are permitted to witness the sealing of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and receive signed records of the votes cast. Furthermore, they cited the Supreme Court’s 2024 upholding of the process for matching paper slips with machine counts as a critical layer of verification. They also expressed support for the ECI’s multi-member structure, noting that collective decision-making by the three commissioners ensures stability, consistent with the Supreme Court’s 1995 ruling.
This intervention occurs as political friction persists in the capital, where protests recently led to the detention of several Opposition leaders. By advocating for evidence-based discourse, the retired officials stated that they belong to no political party but felt compelled to speak out to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
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