Amidst Gyanesh Kumar controversy, 42 former judges come out in support of SIR; write an open letter

New Delhi: A group of 42 retired judges has written an open letter warning against any attempt to weaken the Election Commission. The retired judges wrote this letter amid widespread opposition protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. They expressed deep concern over the ongoing campaign to allegedly weaken the Election Commission, the judiciary, and other constitutional institutions.

The former judges also supported the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, stating that the law empowers the Election Commission and that the last SIR was conducted two decades ago, when no one raised any questions.

The signatories to the October 7 letter stated that they were writing as former judges and retired constitutional officials and had no brief for any political party. They stated that criticizing institutions is a Democratic right, but alleged that constitutional officials were being labeled thieves, puppets , and compromised without any evidence proving such allegations before a court.

Retired judges and constitutional officials also alleged that some activist groups were filing petitions without sufficient evidence and later criticizing them when judicial decisions did not benefit the complainants. They said such attacks risked eroding public confidence in the justice system.

Signatories to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll stated that this exercise was part of the constitutional and legal framework governing elections. Citing Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, they stated that the Election Commission has the authority to make changes to the electoral roll and noted that intensive revisions have been conducted in the past.

'Electoral roll reforms are necessary'

According to the letter, the purpose of this exercise was to remove the names of deceased persons, duplicate entries, and voters who had moved residence, as well as to ensure that eligible citizens were included in the roll. The signatories stated that two decades of migration and urbanization had necessitated the electoral roll reform.

The letter further claimed that the Supreme Court had considered the SIR legal and within the Election Commission's powers, including safeguards such as notice, hearing, objections, and appeals. It stated that this process furthered the constitutional requirement of free and fair elections.

"Fight elections without proving anyone wrong"

The retired judges also urged political parties to contest elections without false accusations and to present their complaints to the Election Commission and the courts with evidence. They urged the media to investigate and verify allegations before reporting them, and urged constitutional institutions to be transparent and address legitimate concerns.