The open letter, dated 28 September 2026, was signed by 42 retired judges, including former Supreme Court Justices Hemant Gupta and Pankaj Mittal. They condemned what they described as a systematic campaign to delegitimize the Election Commission and other constitutional bodies. The signatories warned that repeated accusations of ‘vote theft’—made without evidence—could erode public trust and spark unrest.
The letter invokes a broader context of alleged electoral malfeasance. Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, speaking earlier this week, said India's right to vote ‘is at great peril’ after 90 lakh voters were left disenfranchised in West Bengal’s elections. He called for Supreme Court intervention, arguing that no authority can strip such a large number of citizens from the ballot.
The signatories also criticized opposition parties for fueling the narrative, noting that claims of rigging surface at press conferences rather than in courts. They pointed out that when the Election Commission seeks a sworn declaration, no such filing is made, and that electronic voting machines are blamed only after a party loses.
The letter ends with a plea for the Supreme Court to step in, demanding that the electoral process be safeguarded lest the very system that elected the nation be undermined. A hearing is scheduled for 15 October, when the Court will examine the Commission’s revision of voter rolls.