124 Former Bureaucrats Back EC, Question Vote-Rigging Allegations Without Evidence | News18

A News18 report on an open letter signed by 124 former IAS, IFS and allied-services officers. The signatories support the Election Commission of India (ECI), question allegations of vote-rigging made without credible evidence, and defend the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The letter argues that political parties often praise the Election Commission after winning and accuse it of bias after losing. It also points to electoral safeguards such as polling agents, sealed electronic voting machines, strong-room security and VVPAT verification. The signatories cite the 2025 Bihar Assembly election, which they say recorded no re-polling and the highest voter turnout since 1951.

• 124 former IAS, IFS and allied-services officers signed an open letter backing the ECI
• The letter calls for credible evidence to support vote-rigging allegations
• Safeguards cited include polling agents, sealed EVMs, strong-room security and VVPAT verification
• The 2025 Bihar Assembly election is cited as having no re-polling and the highest turnout since 1951

ELECTION COMMISSION UNDER SPOTLIGHT: A group of 124 former IAS, IFS and allied-services officers has come out in support of the Election Commission of India (ECI), challenging allegations of vote-rigging and defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In an open letter addressed to citizens, the former officials argued that serious allegations about electoral manipulation must be backed by credible evidence. They questioned the tendency of political parties to praise the Election Commission when they win elections but accuse it of bias when they lose. Their letter states: “A system cannot be honest when you win and rigged when you lose.” The signatories also highlighted safeguards in India’s electoral process, including polling agents, the sealing of electronic voting machines, strong-room security and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) verification. They cited the 2025 Bihar Assembly election, which they said recorded no re-polling and the highest voter turnout since 1951. #ElectionCommission #ECI #SIR #VoteRigging #VoteChori #GyaneshKumar #IndianPolitics #ElectionIntegrity #IAS n18oc_breakingnews