'Do You Doubt System Or Result?' 124 Ex-Bureaucrats, Diplomats Back Poll Body
A group of 124 former bureaucrats and diplomats has issued an open letter defending the Election Commission of India against allegations of electoral fraud. The signatories argue that unsubstantiated claims of vote rigging damage democratic trust and cite improvements in electoral administration, such as the 2025 Bihar elections.
Why it matters
This letter represents a significant institutional pushback against opposition claims of electoral malpractice, highlighting a deep divide over the credibility of India's voting systems.
A group of 124 former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers has issued an open letter defending the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, arguing that allegations of electoral fraud must be supported by credible evidence.The group warned that unsubstantiated claims of vote rigging undermine public trust in democratic institutions.The letter, addressed to the citizens of India, comes amid protests by Opposition leaders who allege irregularities in electoral rolls and claims of "vote chori", or theft of votes.
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