Archive · 11 Oct 2026
124 Former Officers Defend Election Commission and Voter Roll Revision
A group of 124 former government officers wrote a letter defending India’s Election Commission and its review of voter lists.
They said people have the right to question elections, but should provide evidence when alleging that votes were stolen.
The officers described safeguards that let candidates’ representatives observe voting and the handling of voting machines.
They pointed to Bihar’s 2025 election, which they said had no re-polling and record turnout since 1951.
They also said the voter-list review found deceased and duplicate entries, as well as people who had moved away.
Around 21.5 lakh new voters were added, according to the letter.
The officers said people can raise claims, attend hearings and appeal if their names are missing.
They warned that repeated claims without proof could make people trust elections less.
An open letter signed by 124 former civil servants defended the Election Commission of India and its Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls.
The signatories said allegations of vote rigging should be backed by verifiable evidence and pursued through legal processes.
They cited Bihar’s 2025 Assembly election, which they said had no re-polling, the highest turnout since 1951, and record participation by women.
They said Bihar’s revision identified about 22 lakh deceased electors and seven lakh duplicate entries, noted many permanently migrated voters, and added around 21.5 lakh new voters.
The letter pointed to polling-agent oversight, sealed EVMs, monitored strong rooms, paper-slip checks, voter claims and appeals, and Supreme Court scrutiny as safeguards.
- Who
- 124 former IAS, IFS and allied-services officers, including former diplomat Bhaswati Mukherjee.
- What
- They issued an open letter defending the Election Commission of India and its Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, and called for evidence to support vote-rigging allegations.
- When
- The letter was issued on Saturday; it cited Bihar’s 2025 Assembly election.
- Where
- India, with Bihar’s voter-roll revision and election among the examples discussed; protests against the Election Commission were reported in Delhi.
- Why
- The signatories said voter rolls should be updated and allegations of electoral manipulation should be supported by evidence and raised through established processes.
Critics and Opposition
Former officers and supporters
Allegations of electoral irregularities
Critics and Opposition
Opposition leaders have alleged vote theft and irregularities in electoral rolls and protested against the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Former officers and supporters
The former officers said claims of rigging require verifiable evidence and warned that unsupported allegations can weaken public confidence.
Special Intensive Revision
Critics and Opposition
Critics have raised concerns about the SIR and possible wrongful exclusion of voters.
Former officers and supporters
The former officers described SIR as a necessary voter-roll update and cited notice, hearings, claims and appeals as safeguards against wrongful removal.
- Signatories
- 124 former IAS, IFS and allied-services officers
- Institution defended
- Election Commission of India
- Voter-list exercise
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR); the officers said Bihar had not undergone an intensive revision since 2003.
- Bihar SIR figures
- About 22 lakh deceased electors and seven lakh duplicate entries identified; many permanently migrated voters noted; around 21.5 lakh new voters added.
- Bihar election claims
- The officers said the 2025 Assembly election had no re-polling, the highest turnout since 1951, and record participation by women.
- Safeguards cited
- Polling-agent observation, signed vote records, sealed EVMs, monitored strong rooms, paper-slip verification, and procedures for voter claims, hearings and appeals.
- Court references
- The letter cited Supreme Court support for paper-slip verification in 2024, the multi-member Election Commission structure in 1995, and safeguards and oversight in the SIR process.
Sources
Former civil servants involved in earlier poll processes seek proof from those calling system ‘rigged’
'Proving Is The Accuser’s Duty': 124 Former Civil Servants Back Election Commission, Defend SIR, Question Vote-Rigging Claims
'Do You Doubt System Or Result?' 124 Ex-Bureaucrats, Diplomats Back Poll Body
'Wanted to caution people regarding distorted narrative': Ex-diplomat on backing SIR in open letter
Top ex babus back EC, SIR
'Democratic framework does not run on blind faith': Smriti Irani backs open letter by ex-civil servants
124 former IAS and IFS officers back EC, SIR; reject unfounded 'rigged' claims
