Ensure impeccable, responsible discharge of duties on counting day, post-result period: Ex-civil servants to ECI

On May 25, a group of former civil servants released an open statement urging authorities and constitutional institutions to uphold the ideals enshrined in the Constitution of India and ensure that the day of counting of votes, announcement of results and the post-result period is held in a fair and free manner.

These 102 civil servants, who alleged to have no political affiliation, appealed to the higher judiciary, the election commission, chief electoral officers in every state and returning officers in every district to discharge their duties in a transparent and responsible matter.

In the statement, they wrote “To retain the faith of the ordinary citizen in these constitutional institutions vested with the onerous responsibility of the free and fair conduct of elections, it is necessary that these institutions must not only be fair but also appear to be fair.  They must reassure the citizens of the fairness and integrity of the process through their consistently transparent and accountable functioning, and by continuously sharing information with the electorate.”

Highlighting the multiple concerns that had been raised by the citizenry throughout the ongoing election process, instances of unlawful voting, people finding their names missing from the voters’ lists, refusal of the ECI disclose the exact numbers of votes cast in each constituency, and inaction against hate speeches by senior leaders of ruling party, the civil servants prompted the ECI to address and provide explanations to the public upon the same.

The statement provided “It would have been fitting for the Election Commission to publicly explain actions taken, and not taken, by the Commission to address these problems and allay the fears of the electorate. They should still do this without further delay and in a transparent manner.”

In addition to berating the ECI for hesitating in their duties, the civil servants then emphasized upon the great task that lies ahead- the counting of votes casted and the announcement of results. In addition to this, they urged the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, to follow the established democratic precedents in the event of a hung parliament and follow the path of the Constitutional values while discharging her onerous duties.

The complete statement can be read below:

CCG OPEN STATEMENT ON 2024 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS

25 May 2024

We are a group of former civil servants who have served the Central and State
governments in various capacities. We have no affiliation with any political party but are
strongly committed to the ideals enshrined in the Constitution of India.

June 4, 2024 will be the final chapter of the eighteenth general elections to the Parliament of the world’s most populous country; the largest democratic contest that the world has ever witnessed. During this massive exercise, more than anyone else, it is India’s working poor, its farmers, its women and its youth who have affirmed their abiding faith in India’s democracy by queueing up in large numbers even in the searing heat of summer.

Elections are a particularly testing time for institutions that are constitutionally vested with the responsibility of ensuring the integrity and fairness of elections. These include the higher judiciary, the election commission, chief electoral officers in every state and returning officers in every district.

To retain the faith of the ordinary citizen in these constitutional institutions vested with the onerous responsibility of the free and fair conduct of elections, it is necessary that these institutions must not only be fair but also appear to be fair.  They must reassure the citizens of the fairness and integrity of the process through their consistently transparent and accountable functioning, and by continuously sharing information with the electorate.

During the 2024 general elections, concerns have been raised at many points about the fairness of the elections. These relate to fears that the EVM and VVPAT machines can be tampered with, instances of single persons unlawfully voting on behalf of many voters (some videos of this are in circulation), of many people, especially of vulnerable groups, finding their names missing from the voters’ lists, of the inexplicable refusal of the Election Commission of India to disclose the exact numbers of votes cast in each constituency, and of little visible action against hate speech targeting both minorities and the opposition parties by senior leaders of the ruling party. It would have been fitting for the Election Commission to publicly explain actions taken, and not taken, by the Commission to address these problems and allay the fears of the electorate. They should still do this without further delay and in a transparent manner.

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. We hope they will not continue to show this disregard in the time that is remaining.

In the run-up to the counting, immense care needs to be taken for the safe custody of the EVM machines in ways that involve all the competing candidates and parties. Returning officers need to commit themselves to announcing the results of the counting of votes in every case without any delay.

In the event of a hung parliament, onerous responsibilities will be placed upon the shoulders of the President of India. We are sure that she will follow the established democratic precedent of first inviting the pre-poll alliance that garnered the largest number of seats. Also, that she would endeavour to preempt the possibilities of horse-trading.

On behalf of the citizens of India, we seek in humility to remind each of the authorities and institutions charged with the integrity of the process of democratic government formation of their paramount duty to abide and uphold the Constitution of India. We would like to remind them of the oath they have taken in this regard at the time of their assumption of office.

We bring forth the luminous pledge that India’s first citizen, the President of India, takes to “ preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law ” and to devote herself “ to the service and the well-being of the people of India ”.  We are sure that this will be her guiding light.

SATYAMEVA JAYATE 

Constitutional Conduct Group (102 signatories, as below)