42 former judges defend ECI, slam ‘calculated campaign’ driven by ‘vested political interests’
A group of 42 former judges has issued an open letter criticizing what they describe as a politically motivated campaign against the Election Commission of India and the judiciary. They argue that these attacks undermine public trust in constitutional institutions.
Why it matters
The statement highlights the ongoing tension between political opposition and constitutional bodies in the world's largest democracy.
Over 40 former Supreme Court and High Court judges have raised concerns over a “calculated campaign driven by vested political interests, with little regard for the potentially devastating consequences of destabilising the world’s largest democracy”.
“A party that governed this nation for over five decades now claims that the very system which elected it is rigged. It does not act alone. Activist outfits with a long record of selective litigation lend these claims a veneer of legality,” said 42 former judges in an open letter, without naming the party.
Among the signatories are former Supreme Court judges Hemant Gupta and Pankaj Mithal; former High Court Chief Justices B.C. Patel, Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Permod Kohli.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in