124 Former Bureaucrats Defend India's Election Commission Amid Vote-Rigging Allegations
A collective of 124 former civil servants has issued a letter supporting the integrity of the Election Commission and challenging claims of electoral fraud.
Former bureaucrats emphasize the need for credible evidence to support vote-rigging allegations.
They highlight significant improvements in India's electoral process since past issues of fraud.
The group urges consistent scrutiny of the electoral system, regardless of election outcomes.
In a robust defense of India's electoral integrity, 124 former IAS, IFS, and allied services officers have collectively issued an open letter to the public, standing firmly behind the Election Commission (EC) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The letter argues that any claims of vote rigging must be substantiated with credible evidence, emphasizing the importance of maintaining trust in the electoral process.
The signatories, which include notable figures such as former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal and retired IAS officers, provided context by referencing the evolution of India's electoral system. They pointed out that the current framework has significantly improved from previous eras characterized by booth capturing and ballot-box stuffing. The letter cites various safeguards now in place, including the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), secure polling environments, and the verification process through voter-verified paper audit trails (VVPAT).
Highlighting the recent Bihar Assembly elections of 2025, the former officials noted that the polls recorded the highest voter turnout since 1951, with no instances of re-polling. They argued that it is contradictory to label the system as rigged when the same system has facilitated victories for various parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has faced losses in several state elections under the same electoral oversight.
The group also defended the necessity of the SIR, stating that it is crucial for maintaining accurate electoral rolls. They reported that during the revision in Bihar, approximately 22 lakh deceased voters and seven lakh duplicate entries were identified, alongside the addition of around 21.5 lakh new voters. The letter stresses that a clean electoral roll is essential for protecting voters and preventing fraud.
In conclusion, the former bureaucrats urged critics to evaluate allegations against the electoral system consistently, regardless of the outcomes of elections. They posed a thought-provoking question: if the system is deemed rigged, should one not also consider whether it is the system itself that is in question or merely the results it produces?
