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42 Former Judges Warn Against Undermining Election Commission
Forty-two former judges and retired officials wrote a letter about India’s Election Commission and other public institutions.
They said people may criticize institutions, but warned against calling them names or making claims without proof.
They argued that this can make people lose trust in elections and courts.
The letter defended a voter-list review called the Special Intensive Revision.
Its signatories said the review is meant to correct voter lists and is allowed by law.
Opposition parties say there were problems with the review and want Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
Opposition leaders have protested, and some were detained.
The letter says claims of “vote theft” should be supported with evidence and taken to the Election Commission or courts.
One report says about 13.3 crore names have been deleted, while also noting reported objections by two Election Commissioners to decisions during the revision.
Forty-two former judges and retired constitutional office-holders issued an open letter dated October 7, warning against what they called attacks on constitutional institutions.
The signatories said criticism is a democratic right but argued that unproven claims branding officials as “thieves” or “compromised” can erode public trust.
They defended the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as legally authorized and intended to remove deceased, duplicate and relocated voters while including eligible citizens.
Opposition parties have protested the revision and demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, citing alleged irregularities; reports also mention formal objections by two Election Commissioners.
The letter said “vote theft” claims were largely made at press conferences rather than in court; one article reports approximately 13.3 crore voter deletions, while the signatories said no court had established the cited allegations.
- Who
- Forty-two former judges and retired constitutional office-holders; opposition parties, including INDIA bloc leaders; Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- Former officials issued a letter defending constitutional institutions and the electoral-roll revision, while opposition parties protested alleged irregularities and sought the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation.
- Where
- New Delhi; opposition demonstrations took place in Delhi.
- When
- The letter was dated October 7, 2026; reports were published October 8, 2026.
- Why
- The signatories warned that allegations of electoral wrongdoing without evidence could weaken public trust; opposition parties cited alleged irregularities in the voter-roll revision.
Former officials’ position
Opposition’s position
Allegations of vote theft
Former officials’ position
The signatories said the allegations lacked supporting evidence, were largely made at press conferences rather than in court, and risked undermining trust in institutions.
Opposition’s position
Opposition parties have alleged electoral wrongdoing and irregularities in the voter-roll revision and have protested publicly.
Special Intensive Revision
Former officials’ position
The signatories described the revision as legally authorized and necessary to correct voter rolls, with safeguards and a role in supporting free and fair elections.
Opposition’s position
Opposition parties have challenged the revision, citing alleged irregularities and demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation; one report also mentions formal objections by two Election Commissioners.
How grievances should be raised
Former officials’ position
The letter urged political parties to bring evidence-based grievances to the Election Commission and courts, and called on media to verify allegations.
Opposition’s position
Opposition leaders have pursued public protests and press statements against the Commission and its chief.
Key facts
- Letter signatories
- 42 former judges and retired constitutional office-holders
- Letter date
- October 7, 2026
- Electoral-roll exercise
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Gyanesh Kumar
- Reported voter deletions
- Approximately 13.3 crore, according to one article’s quick-answer section
- Reported objections
- One article says two Election Commissioners formally objected on multiple occasions over the preceding ten months to decisions during the revision
- Former judges named
- Hemant Gupta, Pankaj Mittal, B.C. Patel, Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Permod Kohli
Quotes
The 42 former judges and retired constitutional office-holders
Signatories of the open letter defending constitutional institutions.
“Criticism of institutions is a democratic right. Denigration is not.”
thehansindia.com
news18.com
“When the Commission seeks a sworn declaration, none is filed.”
news18.com
Nitin Nabin
BJP national president commenting on Opposition protests against the Election Commission.
“I would say these are people with an anarchist mindset, who know only how to spread poison in society. After all, this very Election Commission conducted the elections in Kerala.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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