From Our Correspondent
Say They Don’t Trust Election Commission Under Current Leadership
New Delhi: In a strongly worded joint statement that has triggered a new debate on India’s electoral credibility, 175 civil society leaders — including retired Supreme Court judge Dr. B. Sudershan Reddy, retired IAS officers, political economist Dr. Parakala Prabhakar, activists Tushar Gandhi, Shabnam Hashmi, Yogendra Yadav, and actor Prakash Raj — have rejected the Bihar Assembly election results and declared that they no longer trust the Election Commission of India under its present leadership.
The statement, titled “We the People Demand Transparent, Accountable, Free & Fair Elections,” described the Bihar polls as “fraudulent, opaque, and manipulated,” accusing the ECI of “betraying its constitutional duty” and “subverting democracy under the guise of procedural reform.”
“We reject the fraudulent Bihar elections result and call upon the Opposition to do the same,” the signatories declared.
“This is a new chapter in the fight for our democracy and the defence of our Constitution.”
Signatories Across India
The statement bears the signatures of journalists, academics, rights defenders, and civic organisers from Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Assam, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, reflecting a pan-India coalition of voices concerned about the erosion of electoral integrity.
The group said their appeal transcends party politics and aims to protect “the sanctity of the electoral process” and “the citizen’s right to a free, transparent vote.”
‘SIR Process Weaponised’
The statement accused the Election Commission of weaponising the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls to distort the democratic mandate.
“The SIR process, which the ECI claims is based on the 2003 model, bears no resemblance to it,” the statement said.
“It forces every voter to reapply through an enumeration form, leading to arbitrary deletions and disenfranchisement of lakhs of citizens.”
It alleged that the resulting voter lists were “sanitised to suit the ruling establishment” and lacked transparency or accountability.
The signatories announced a sustained civic campaign under the banner “No Rightful Voter Left Behind,” seeking a public audit of electoral rolls and reforms to restore confidence in the system.
‘Loss of Faith in ECI’
In its most direct criticism yet, the statement said the signatories no longer recognise the Election Commission as a legitimate and independent institution under its current leadership.
“The Election Commission has breached the trust of the electorate it exists to serve,” the statement said.
“It has disrespected the constitutional principles on which it was founded and has transformed from a protector into an assaulter of electoral integrity.”
They demanded the restoration of a constitutionally aligned, non-partisan Election Commission, asserting that institutional neutrality is “the lifeline of India’s democracy.”
Opposition Also Faulted
Significantly, the statement also criticised opposition parties for “failing to resist the ECI’s manipulative moves” and for participating in a flawed electoral process despite widespread public concern.
“By taking part in a manipulated process instead of confronting it, opposition parties have ended up legitimising a fraudulent election,” the statement said.
“They must learn from Bihar and work with civil society to restore the democratic climate through coordinated and principled action.”
The group argued that grassroots movements have shown more courage in defending democratic institutions than political parties, which have been “cautious and complicit.”
‘Democracy Cannot Survive Without Trust’
Concluding their statement, the signatories said the Bihar episode marked “a turning point in the struggle for free and fair elections.”
“When citizens lose trust in the Election Commission, the very foundation of democracy begins to crumble,” the statement warned.
“We will not remain silent as the institution meant to safeguard democracy becomes an instrument to subvert it.”
Key Points
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175 civil society leaders reject Bihar election results
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Allege voter deletions and manipulation under the SIR process
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Say they no longer trust ECI under present leadership
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Fault opposition parties for not resisting manipulative moves
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Call for a constitutionally aligned, non-partisan ECI
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Nationwide campaign planned under “No Rightful Voter Left Behind”
As of now, neither the Election Commission of India nor major opposition parties have issued a formal response to this specific joint statement.