Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of undermining the electoral process, claiming it was acting in coordination with central agencies.
Her remarks came a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s sweep in the West Bengal polls, which she said as part of a broader concern over the state of India’s democratic institutions.
In a post on X, Mufti said that India was once admired globally for its robust electoral system, particularly after reforms introduced by T. N. Seshan, whom she credited with transforming the ECI into a “fearless guardian of democracy.”
“Today, that very institution stands accused of subverting the electoral process, aided by central agencies,” she alleged.
Calling it a “tragic fall,” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the country may not have achieved the goal of becoming a “Vishwaguru,” but has instead “mastered the art of electoral manipulation.”
She described the developments in West Bengal as the “latest reminder” of what she termed a disturbing reality.
