Open letter by ex-judges on 2024 polls to President, CJI
At least seven former high court judges on Monday wrote an open letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, expressing ‘concern’ over the way the Lok Sabha elections were conducted.
The letter has been signed by former Madras high court judges GM Akbar Ali, Aruna Jagadeesan, D Hariparanthanam, PR Shivakumar, CT Selvam, S Vimla and former Patna high court judge Anjana Prakash, who said they have no affiliation to any political party.
The judges in their letter claimed that there are “genuine apprehensions” in the minds of the vast majority of the people, echoed civil and human rights organizations and activists.
“There was genuine concern about the way the General Election – 2024 is being conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and that if the present ruling dispensation loses people’s mandate the transition of power may not be smooth and there could be a constitutional crisis,” the letter claimed.
The former judges quoted a statement by the Constitutional Conduct Group of former civil servants last week that expressed ‘concerns’ over the fairness of the elections.
“It pains us to say that no Election Commission in the past has been as reluctant as the present one to discharge its duties, despite violations being repeatedly brought to its attention by responsible organisations and respected members of society,” the former civil servants’ body had claimed.