The Hindu editorial dated 05/08/25 addresses the foundational role of fairness in an electoral system. It frames the recent, serious charges by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi against the Election Commission of India (ECI) as contributing to a "crisis of trust." While urging caution and noting that politicians (such as Narendra Modi in the past) have often used rhetoric against the ECI, the editorial pivots to a sharp critique of the commission itself. It charges the ECI with failing to be transparent and efficient on several fronts, including complaint redressal and the enforcement of the code of conduct. The piece specifically highlights a lack of transparency regarding VVPATs, labeling the random tallying process as "extremely arbitrary." The editorial concludes that because political parties have unequal capacities to monitor elections, the ultimate responsibility lies with the ECI to reassure the entire citizenry of the process's integrity and correct its course