A post-poll survey by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies’ Lokniti programme reveals a stark drop in the percentage of voters expressing “high trust” in the EC between 2019 and 2025. EC's Credibility Under Scrutiny as Survey Shows Plummeting Trust Amid Political Firestorm - The Wire
The sharpest fall was recorded in Madhya Pradesh, where high trust plummeted from 57% to 17%. In Delhi, it fell from 60% to 21%, and in Uttar Pradesh, from 56% to 21%. Concurrently, the proportion of voters with “no trust” in the poll body nearly quadrupled in Madhya Pradesh (6% to 22%) and almost tripled in Delhi (11% to 30%).
The immediate catalyst for this confrontation is the ongoing SIR in poll-bound Bihar. The issue escalated on August 14 when the Supreme Court directed the EC to publish a detailed list of approximately 65 lakh electors excluded from the state’s draft rolls, stressing that “a high degree of transparency is required to inspire voters’ confidence”.
by Pavan Korada
18/08/2025