Politics · India Bureau
Retired judges defend poll body against 'calculated campaign' claims
A group of 42 former judges has issued a statement supporting the Election Commission of India, accusing critics of pursuing a politically motivated agenda. The judges alleged that a party which governed India for over five decades is now questioning the credibility of the same electoral system that brought it to power.
LSN India ·
In a joint letter, the former judges expressed concern over what they characterised as a coordinated effort to undermine public confidence in the Election Commission of India. They argued that recent criticism of the poll body represents a departure from established democratic norms and institutional respect.
The judges specifically pointed to a major political party's claims that the electoral system is fundamentally compromised, noting the apparent contradiction in such assertions coming from a party that previously governed the nation for more than 50 years under the same constitutional framework. According to the letter, this narrative represents a calculated attempt to delegitimise institutional processes.
The statement also targeted organisations described as having "a long record of selective litigation," suggesting their involvement in what the judges view as part of a broader campaign to erode faith in democratic institutions. The former judges emphasised the importance of protecting the independence and credibility of election management bodies in a functioning democracy.
The letter comes amid ongoing debate about the functioning and autonomy of India's electoral apparatus. The judges' intervention underscores divisions within Indian political and institutional circles over questions of electoral integrity and institutional trust.