124 retired IAS and IFS officers have released an open letter defending the Election Commission of India and the electoral process. The group dismissed opposition allegations of vote theft and electoral fraud, arguing that the system is robust. They criticized opposition parties for only questioning the system when they lose elections, suggesting this reflects a lack of faith in the democratic process rather than genuine concerns. The letter emphasizes that baseless allegations undermine public trust in democratic institutions and notes that the Supreme Court has previously upheld the Commission's procedures. The statement follows recent protests in Delhi involving opposition leaders.
On October 10, 2026, the 124 retired officers released their open letter.
The Supreme Court has thoroughly reviewed the SIR process and upheld the Election Commission's authority.
The Supreme Court has thoroughly reviewed the SIR process and upheld the Election Commission's authority.
The letter includes the following statements in Kannada: "ನೀವು ಗೆದ್ದಾಗ ಅದೇ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಸರಿ ಇರುತ್ತದೆ, ಸೋತಾಗ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ದೋಷಪೂರಿತ ಎನ್ನುತ್ತೀರಿ. ಇದು ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯ ಮೇಲಿನ ನಂಬಿಕೆಯ ಕೊರತೆಯೇ ಅಥವಾ ಫಲಿತಾಂಶದ ಮೇಲಿನ ಅಸಮಾಧಾನವೇ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಆತ್ಮಾವಲೋಕನ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು" and "ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸುವುದು ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬ ನಾಗರಿಕನ ಹಕ್ಕು, ಆದರೆ ಆರೋಪಿಸಿದವರು ಅದನ್ನು ಸಾಬೀತುಪಡಿಸುವುದು ಕರ್ತವ್ಯ"