124 former bureaucrats defend ECI, demand proof of poll rigging

Bengaluru, Oct 10 (UNI) A total of 124 former civil servants, including retired IAS and IFS officers, have defended the Election Commission of India (ECI) against allegations of electoral manipulation, asserting that claims of "rigging" must be backed by evidence and warning that unsubstantiated allegations could undermine public trust in democracy. In an open letter to the citizens of India, the signatories, including former ambassador Bhaswati Mukherjee and former Karnataka Additional Chief Secretary M Madan Gopal, said India's electoral system had evolved significantly from the era of booth capturing, ballot-box theft and voter intimidation. Citing Bihar's 2025 Assembly elections, the…