Opposition Writes to CJI Alleging EC Bias and Raises Concerns Over Electoral Roll Revision
Leaders from 24 Opposition parties along with one Independent Member of Parliament have written to Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, expressing serious concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission of India and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The letter, dated June 28 and made public by the Congress on Friday, was signed by Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. The signatories said they had chosen to approach the Chief Justice because they believed the country’s democratic system was facing serious challenges.
In the letter, the Opposition alleged that the electoral process was being manipulated and claimed that election outcomes in several cases did not reflect the true will of the people. They also accused the Election Commission of showing bias in favour of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party by allegedly failing to act against violations of the Model Code of Conduct by the ruling party while taking action against Opposition leaders.
The leaders further questioned the independence of the Election Commission, alleging that since 2014, appointments to the constitutional body had largely been individuals closely linked to the government.
They also referred to the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Anup Baranwal case, saying that Parliament later changed the appointment process by replacing the Chief Justice of India on the selection committee with a Union minister. They noted that the law governing the revised appointment process is currently under challenge before the Supreme Court.
Calling free and fair elections the cornerstone of democracy, the Opposition urged the Supreme Court to take urgent steps to restore confidence in the election process and strengthen the accountability of the Election Commission.
The letter stated that the Opposition had turned to the judiciary because, in its view, other democratic institutions had failed to function independently. It also alleged that some institutions were being used to advance the government’s agenda and warned that such developments could have serious consequences for the country’s democratic future.
The signatories also raised concerns about the media, claiming that much of the mainstream media had become compromised while acknowledging that independent platforms continued to hold those in power accountable.
Reaffirming their faith in the judiciary, the leaders said the courts remained the last institution in which people placed their trust. They clarified that the letter was not intended as criticism of the judiciary but as an appeal for intervention when other constitutional mechanisms had failed.
The Congress said it decided to make the letter public in the interest of transparency and expressed hope that the Supreme Court would take steps to safeguard India’s constitutional and democratic framework.