Editor,
Despite the prevailing circumstances, I am expressing my overwhelming disappointment at the recent arrest of Sonam Wangchuk. The case of Sonam Wangchuk, the environmental activist, being subjected to the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA) for merely attempting a peaceful protest—a fundamental democratic right—reveals the deep rot within the Indian State machinery. It is an alarming instance where a political establishment uses colonial-era laws, meant to curb foreign aggression and internal anarchy, against its own patriotic citizens advocating for constitutional guarantees for Ladakh. This blatant misuse of authority proves that the rule of law is rapidly being replaced by the tyrannical rule of power, where disagreement is branded as ‘anti-national’ and institutional independence is but a convenient myth.
This institutional malaise is not limited to the security apparatus; it extends to the very foundation of our democracy—the electoral system. The recent allegations made by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi concerning widespread ‘vote chori’ and targeted deletion of voters underscore a profound public loss of faith in the Election Commission of India (ECI). When a major constitutional body like the ECI, which is mandated to be the independent and impartial umpire of the electoral process, finds itself accused of colluding in a criminal conspiracy involving voter list manipulation and then reacts by issuing ultimatums rather than initiating a transparent, detailed investigation, the integrity of the entire system is nullified. The debate over whether the ECI should demand an affidavit or immediately provide machinereadable data is merely political theatre that distracts from the core issue: whether the votes cast truly reflect the will of the people, or if the process itself has become fatally compromised.
The current government’s persistent focus on retaining ‘the seat’ by any means necessary, whether by undermining democratic rights in regions like Manipur or Ladakh, or by allowing the very electoral process to be suspect, suggests that the priority is not the welfare of the Indian people but the retention of power. The suppression of Wangchuk’s legitimate demand for constitutional protection and the ECI’s defensive stance against credible allegations of vote manipulation are two sides of the same coin: a democracy hollowed out from within, where institutions meant to serve the nation now appear to serve only the ruling dispensation. The true issues of poverty, unemployment, and hunger remain untouched while we debate the subversion of constitutional bodies.
It is time the Supreme Court, as the final guardian of the Constitution, steps in and restores confidence by ensuring that both political dissent is protected and that the electoral process is clean, transparent, and absolutely beyond reproach. The failure to do so will solidify the current trajectory toward a constitutional dictatorship.
Name withheld on request
