In a strong and unprecedented counterattack, a collective of 272 retired judges, senior bureaucrats, diplomats, and former armed forces officers has publicly criticised Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party for what they describe as a deliberate attempt to “delegitimise and destabilise” India’s constitutional institutions—particularly the Election Commission.

The group released an open letter accusing the Congress of masking “political frustration as institutional breakdown” under its ongoing ‘vote chori’ campaign. The signatories include 16 retired judges, 123 former bureaucrats including 14 ambassadors, and 133 retired military officers. Among the most prominent names are former J&K DGP SP Vaid, ex-RAW chief Sanjeev Tripathi, and former Indian diplomat Laxmi Puri, signalling a rare and broad pushback from civil society veterans.

The letter, titled “Assault on National Constitutional Authorities”, argues that India’s democratic institutions are under attack not by external threats but by “venomous political rhetoric.” The group accuses some opposition leaders of abandoning constructive criticism and instead engaging in a “campaign of unverified allegations designed to erode public trust.”

The signatories assert that Rahul Gandhi’s persistent accusations—claiming the Election Commission facilitated “vote chori” during the SIR (Systematic Information Revision) process—lack both evidence and accountability. They point to his recent remarks describing the EC’s conduct as proof of a political conspiracy, calling his comments “unbelievably uncouth rhetoric” and asserting that he has not filed any formal complaint with supporting affidavits.

The letter further highlights a growing pattern, alleging that Congress and like-minded groups have previously targeted the Army, the Judiciary, and Parliament, portraying them as compromised whenever electoral results do not favour them. “When victories come, the criticism vanishes; when losses occur, the Commission becomes the villain,” the signatories wrote, calling this “selective indignation” a sign of “impotent rage.”

They also defended the Election Commission’s handling of the SIR process, noting that the poll authority has publicly shared its methodology, implemented court-led verification, removed ineligible names, and added legitimate voters.

The letter ends by recalling the legacy of former Chief Election Commissioners T.N. Seshan and N. Gopalaswami, asserting that India’s electoral system remains robust because of such uncompromising leadership—and warning against attempts to “politicise institutional credibility.”