Citizens petition Indian Chief Justice over Election Commission conduct

A coalition of over 2,000 citizens, including retired judges, former civil servants, academics, and activists, has called for urgent judicial and parliamentary intervention regarding the Election Commission of India (ECI).

In an open letter to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, signatories requested suo motu proceedings to review the legality of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and the deployment of the ECINet software. The petitioners allege arbitrary and unauthorized changes to voter registration software and seek an independent, court-monitored investigation into the integrity of electoral databases. They have specifically requested a security audit of the ECINet platform to ensure decentralized control remains with local Electoral Registration Officers.

Simultaneously, a group of prominent figures, including former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah, has issued a letter to Opposition parties. They are urging political leaders to pursue sustained parliamentary action—such as debates, motions, and committee inquiries—to address concerns regarding voter deletions and the technology underlying electoral rolls. The group emphasized that protecting democratic processes requires the Opposition to challenge institutional opacity and the arbitrary exercise of power.