Letters to The Editor — November 29, 2025

Clean electoral rolls

There is no doubt that there is a need for ‘accuracy in electoral rolls’, which can be achieved only through joint efforts by the Election Commission of India (ECI), political parties and people in general. Occasional Special Intensive Revisions of electoral rolls are intended to eliminate errors and bring in more accuracy. So, it should be a continuing process. It can never be the sole burden of ECI, and, in this, the mainstream political parties should try and help the ECI to a large extent.

In this context, some political parties should introspect on their present attitude as the situation now appears to be one of pure power politics. Ultimately, what is required are lists with the names of genuine voters and citizens of this country.

P.R.V. Raja,

Pandalam, Kerala

An officer’s dismissal

Despite our religious persuasions, we in India have always enjoyed how a secular democracy has protected us from threatening situations caused by religion, caste or creed. Under such circumstances, our defence personnel should also be given religious freedom based on their personal convictions. If an agnostic or an atheist too has his freedom to choose not to enter a religious place on the basis of his belief system, there can be no law framed to penalise him.

It is startling that the court verdict appears to have trampled on an individual’s freedom of religion. We now live in times where there is apprehension about freedoms.

Joshua Dhanabalan,

Chennai

A train journey

My wife and I travelled on a Vande Bharat train, for the first time, from Tiruchi to Bengaluru Cant. We are octogenarians. The train is an excellent mode of travel. But, unfortunately, the destination station is not up to the mark. There was utter chaos at the narrow exit outlet provided as the station is undergoing modifications. There were no battery-operated platform cars. On the return journey, the train was scheduled to leave from platform 1B, at 1.30 p.m. but when it arrived 10 minutes late, it was on platform 3. Passengers rushed only to find that after cleaning, the train was moved back to platform 1 and departed 30 minutes late. There needs to be a help desk for passengers.

V.K. Gopalan,

Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu