SIR Row
‘Attempt to destabilise world’s largest democracy’: 42 retired judges rally behind Gyanesh Kumar over ‘vote chori’ row
New Delhi/IBNS: Amid protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of "vote chori", 42 retired judges on Thursday issued an open letter warning against attempts to undermine constitutional institutions such as the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The former judges said attacks on constitutional bodies could erode public faith in electoral democracy and contribute to unrest.
They also backed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, describing it as a legally established exercise aimed at ensuring accurate voter lists.
Retired judges slam ‘vote chori’ allegations
In their letter, the retired judges criticised allegations of electoral irregularities, saying they lacked evidence and describing the ongoing protests as a "calculated campaign" allegedly driven by vested political interests seeking to "destabilise the world's largest democracy".
The letter also took aim at the Congress and activist group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), arguing that allegations of "vote chori" were often raised after electoral defeats.
"A party that governed this nation for over five decades now claims that the very system which elected it is rigged," the judges said in an apparent reference to the Congress, as quoted by NDTV.
The letter further alleged that activist groups had used litigation to give the claims a veneer of legality without producing sufficient evidence.
"The courtroom becomes a stage, and when the judgment is delivered, it is criticised whenever it does not serve their interests," the letter said.
The retired judges also accused critics of amplifying their claims in a manner that could undermine public confidence in established institutions.
Letter comes amid Opposition protests
The letter comes against the backdrop of massive INDIA bloc protests in New Delhi this week, led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, over allegations concerning the electoral process.
Meanwhile, the CJP held a rally in Bengaluru ahead of its planned October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The group has said it aims to intensify its campaign at the same venue where it claims an earlier protest contributed to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
ECI faces scrutiny after media report
The Opposition has stepped up its criticism of the Narendra Modi government and the ECI following an investigative report published by The Indian Express that detailed alleged differences within the poll panel.
The report also alleged that CEC Gyanesh Kumar took certain decisions unilaterally despite objections from the other two Election Commissioners.
The ECI and the government have faced mounting political pressure over the allegations, while supporters of the poll panel have defended its constitutional mandate and the electoral process.
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