Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday highlighted growing concerns about the independence of the Election Commission of India (ECI), stating that key democratic institutions have been facing sustained pressure in recent times. Marking National Voters’ Day, he stressed that it is everyone’s responsibility to safeguard the ECI’s autonomy so that Indian democracy can truly thrive rather than merely survive.

In a post on X, Kharge described National Voters’ Day as a powerful reminder that the nation’s future belongs to its people and that their collective voice shapes the country’s destiny. He emphasised the need for free, fair, and fearless elections built on clean electoral rolls and a level playing field for all participants.

Kharge specifically criticised practices he termed “vote chori” (vote theft) and unplanned Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, arguing that such actions effectively deny citizens their fundamental Right to Vote. He warned that these developments tarnish India’s long-standing democratic tradition and undermine public trust in the electoral process.

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The Election Commission was established on January 25, 1950, just a day before India became a republic, and National Voters’ Day has been observed annually for the past 16 years to promote voter awareness, registration, and participation. Kharge’s comments reflect ongoing opposition criticism of recent electoral roll exercises, particularly in states like Gujarat, where similar concerns about irregularities have been raised by Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi.

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