In a strongly worded open letter, 42 former judges, including those who have served as Supreme Court and High Court judges, on Thursday expressed grave concern over what they described as a sustained campaign to undermine the Election Commission of India (ECI), the judiciary and other constitutional institutions.

The signatories questioned allegations of “vote theft” made without supporting evidence, warning that repeatedly branding constitutional authorities as “thieves” and “compromised” could erode public trust in democratic institutions, IANS reported.