In the wake of a nationwide protest led by the opposition and the Cockroach Janta Party, 124 former IAS, IFS and allied officers issued an open letter to Indian voters. The letter, dated 26 October 2026, defends the Election Commission and its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. It rejects unsubstantiated vote‑rigging allegations and points to the evolution of India’s polling system from the era of booth‑capturing to a multi‑layered, technology‑driven process.
The document cites the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, which saw a 98.7% voter turnout and no re‑polling, as evidence of the system’s integrity. It lists 22 lakh deceased voters, 7 lakh duplicate entries, and 21.5 lakh new voters identified during the SIR. The officers argue that a clean roll protects voters, not fraudsters.
The officers stress that the Election Commission’s independence is safeguarded by a multi‑member structure and Supreme Court oversight. They highlight that the SIR includes notice, hearing, appeal stages and political party participation at the booth level. The letter reminds readers that proving fraud is the accuser’s duty, not questioning the system’s fairness.
The opposition has dismissed the letter, calling it a political shield. Ahead of the December 15 audit deadline, the Commission will publish a final report on the revised rolls. Voters in Delhi, where the protest gathered, say they will scrutinise the report before casting their ballots in the upcoming elections.