‘Venomous Rhetoric’: 272 Former Judges, Bureaucrats Pen Open Letter Against Rahul Gandhi Over Remarks On EC

A powerful collective of 272 eminent Indian citizens, including former judges, bureaucrats, and military officers, today publicly denounced Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party for what they describe as a deliberate attempt to "undermine constitutional institutions," specifically targeting the Election Commission (EC).

The blistering open letter comes amid Gandhi's sustained campaign alleging widespread electoral manipulation and "vote chori" (vote theft) by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in collusion with the poll body.

Signatories Call for Cessation of Attacks

The signatories represent a cross-section of India's establishment, featuring 16 former judges, 123 retired bureaucrats, 14 ambassadors, and 133 retired armed forces officers.

The statement accuses Gandhi and the Congress of trying to "tarnish the credibility of the EC" through recurrent, unproven claims of voter fraud and electoral manipulation. The group asserts that such political rhetoric poses a direct threat to the country's democratic fabric."Such statements erode public trust in democratic systems and fundamentally misrepresent the functioning of constitutional authorities," the letter states.

Gandhi's Allegations of Electoral Manipulation

Gandhi has repeatedly alleged that the BJP engineered manipulation of voter lists in states like Haryana and Karnataka with the support of the Election Commission. His specific accusations include citing:

• Thousands of duplicate entries.
• The reported inclusion of a Brazilian model's photograph in electoral rolls.
• Irregular listings, such as voters registered under "house number 0."
• The removal or replacement of genuine voters through central systems.

EC and Supreme Court Responses

The Election Commission has consistently rejected these allegations, terming them "baseless." In a direct challenge, the Chief Election Commissioner previously asked Mr. Gandhi to submit an affidavit detailing specific names of ineligible voters to substantiate his claims.

Further undermining the allegations, the Supreme Court declined a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an SIT probe into the Karnataka voter fraud claims, instead instructing the petitioner to pursue redressal directly with the Election Commission.

While the BJP maintains the allegations are a political tactic designed to discredit electoral institutions before key contests, the controversy has found limited support, with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav backing Gandhi's concerns. However, media reports have only confirmed isolated, localized irregularities rather than systemic fraud.