Goa, Aug. 11 -- By all measures, the integrity of India's democratic process hinges on the credibility of its institutions. Among the most crucial of these is the Election Commission (EC), the body constitutionally entrusted to ensure that every vote cast is not only counted, but also counted fairly. Recent developments, however, compel us to ask an uncomfortable question: Has the EC lost the independence and authority it once worked hard to claim?

Last week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a press conference that has since sent shockwaves through India's political landscape. Gandhi claimed that over one lakh votes in the Mahadevapura assembly segment-part of Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency-were fraudulently inserted or manipu...