Forty-two former judges and retired holders of constitutional offices have issued an open letter warning of a ‘sustained campaign’ against the Election Commission, the higher judiciary and statutory bodies.

The letter, dated October 7, urged political parties, the media and citizens to defend constitutional institutions. The signatories said they wrote as former judges and veterans of constitutional office and had no brief for any political party.

They said criticism of institutions was a democratic right, but alleged that authorities were being called ‘thieves’, ‘puppets’ and ‘compromised’ without the claims being established in court.

The letter slammed allegations of ‘vote theft’, saying such claims were being made at press conferences rather than before courts, and questioned the selective criticism of EVMs after electoral defeats. It also criticised activist groups for filing petitions without sufficient proof.

The intervention comes amid raging protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.