Retired officials warn that dissent is being branded anti-national and urge civil servants to uphold the Constitution

A coalition of former bureaucrats issued an open letter urging current civil servants to prioritize constitutional duties as dissent is increasingly labeled anti-national, citing the voter-list purge and police handling of protests.

In an open letter, a coalition of 98 retired bureaucrats forming the Constitutional Conduct Group warned that dissent is being routinely branded anti-national and urged active civil servants to uphold constitutional principles despite possible personal inconvenience. The group condemned the Election Commission’s special intensive revision of voter rolls, which has deleted more than 13 crore entries since June 2025 without clear statutory authority, shifting the burden of proof onto citizens and creating fear through lineage-based verification.

It also criticized the Delhi Police’s response to a youth demonstration at Jantar Mantar on July 20, describing disproportionate force—including lathi charges, tear gas and pellet guns—that injured several protesters. Further concerns were raised about political interference in agencies such as the Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation and Narcotics Control Bureau, and the use of laws like the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act to stifle opposition.

The letter cited past policy decisions—demonetisation, GST, abrogation of Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and others—as evidence of a decline in democratic dialogue. Signatories include former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and former Punjab DGP Julio Ribeiro.