In an unprecedented move, 23 leaders of major opposition parties, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, jointly penned a letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant and other judges. The letter raised grave concerns about the alleged manipulation of India’s electoral process and demanded the immediate suspension of the ongoing voter verification system. The Opposition, comprising the INDIA bloc and other leaders, highlighted that the core pillars of the republic are under severe strain.
The opposition leaders expressed that the fundamental premise of free and fair elections is being compromised, leading to recent electoral outcomes being viewed with suspicion. They emphasized their firm opposition to the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and stated that the electoral process is being manipulated, with outcomes not reflecting the will of the people. The primary grievance revolves around the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to sanitize voter rolls, which the Opposition labeled as exclusionary and politically motivated.
The letter, dated June 28, was signed by prominent leaders such as Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Sharadchandra Pawar, Farooq Abdullah, D. Raja, John Brittas, and others. It highlighted concerns over lakhs of genuine voters, especially among marginalized communities, being disenfranchised due to the exercise. The Opposition leaders pointed out that during the West Bengal Assembly polls, a significant number of people were deprived of their voting rights due to deletions under the category of ‘logical discrepancies.’
Reviewing the impact of the process, the leaders cited findings from judicial tribunals, with one tribunal revealing that 96% of the names deleted were done so wrongly. The Opposition also expressed apprehensions about electronic voting machines (EVMs) and called for a wider public discussion on the potential restoration of paper ballots to rebuild public trust. Additionally, they raised concerns about the alleged misuse of central investigative agencies to target opposition figures and influence election dynamics.
The leaders turned to the judiciary as the ultimate guardian of the Constitution, emphasizing that citizens seek the courts’ intervention when other mechanisms fail. Their final plea to the apex court underscored the importance of upholding democracy and preventing institutions from becoming tools of oppression.
