Empty cries of ‘vote chori’ only chip away at democracy’s foundations

The Opposition's latest iteration of accusing EC of electoral malfeasance - 'vote chori' - is certainly full of sound and fury. We understand that such 'moves' are SOP in today's electoral politics, and not just in India, with election denialism having been a key issue in the US in 2020.

Politicians, aggrieved after losing at the hustings, often launch a last-stand tirade against their opponents to keep supporters engaged. That can quickly filled with worms has now been deposited at the EC's door, in the form of the opposition INDIA bloc reportedly planning to take 'legal and constitutional measures' against the poll panel chief.

With no concrete charge issued yet, this only makes the Opposition comes across, not as 'crusaders of truth' but as 'sore losers'. But something more precious is at stake.


Institutions like EC are the cornerstone of any democracy. Citizens participate in democracy through these institutions. While questioning their proper functioning is part and parcel of this rules-based 'game', undermining their credibility by blaming faulty EVMs and dodgy electoral rolls each time there's an electoral loss - and keeping silent after every win - hardly helps to bolster the argument.

Allegations of 'vote chori' undermine peoples' faith in the electoral process and institution, questioning the legitimacy of outcomes even when there is little to show anything awry. Such continued efforts on the part of any opposition at keeping a slogan alive only manages to feed cynicism.

This is not good for the institution of EC. It is worse for the reputation of that other institution: the Opposition. Politics can well be about making public allegations. But without concrete charges, all it does is wreak institutional damage.