A group of 42 retired judges has come out in support of the refuting the opposition’s criticism of the poll body and backing the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a lawful process.
In an open letter addressed to the “people of India”, the former Supreme Court judges, along with retired chief justices and judges of various high courts, said they were not speaking in support of any political party. However, they felt the need to voice their concerns because “silence is no longer a neutral choice”.
The retired judges alleged that constitutional institutions in India are facing a “sustained attack”, with the being a key target of the criticism.
According to news agency PTI, in the letter dated October 7, the signatories said: “Even the higher judiciary, which we hold in high esteem, and statutory agencies have not been spared.”
The former judges said questioning constitutional institutions was part of democratic discourse, but expressed concern that authorities were increasingly being labelled “thieves”, “puppets” and “compromised” without these claims being proven in a court of law.
The former judges also expressed concern over criticism directed at other institutions. “Even the higher judiciary, which we hold in high esteem, and statutory agencies have not been spared,” the letter said.
According to them, the criticism went beyond legitimate scrutiny and had taken the form of a “calculated campaign” fuelled by vested political interests. They warned that such attacks could have serious consequences for “destabilising the world’s largest democracy”.
The retired judges termed the allegations against the Election Commission and other constitutional institutions a “campaign without evidence”.
While acknowledging that questioning institutions was part of democratic rights, they said such criticism should not turn into public attacks. “Criticism of institutions is a democratic right. Denigration is not. Constitutional authorities are now branded ‘thieves’, ‘puppets’ and ‘compromised’ from public platforms,” they said.
Defending the SIR, the former judges pointed to provisions in electoral law that allow the Election Commission to revise electoral rolls whenever required.
They also noted that such revisions have been conducted several times since India’s first general election, with the most recent exercise having taken place around two decades ago.
“No one called those revisions a conspiracy,” they said.
Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc have alleged that is manipulating electoral rolls to favour the BJP and have called for his resignation. The BJP and the Election Commission have both dismissed the allegations.
The protests intensified in Delhi on Tuesday when INDIA bloc MPs marched from Parliament, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi staged an eight-hour sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan. The demonstrations moved to nearby Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, where Gandhi and other opposition leaders held a street protest against Kumar before police detained them later in the evening.
Thursday marked the third consecutive day of protests in the national capital, with senior opposition leaders continuing their agitation against the Election Commission.
(With inputs from news agencies)
