India, Oct. 11 -- A total of 124 former IAS, IFS, IPS and allied services officers have strongly defended the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the SIR process, saying a system cannot be honest when someone wins and rigged when that person loses.

In an open letter to the citizens of India, the former officers also said institutions cannot be judged on the touchstone of political affiliation.

They said under the same commission, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)at the Centre lost Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir, and in 2024, lost its majority in the Lok Sabha.

"The winners raised no complaint. A system cannot be honest when you win and rigged when you lose," they said....