Former Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur, former High Court Chief Justice AP Shah, along with former Editor of The Hindu, N Ram, have extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for a public debate on the Lok Sabha Elections.

In a letter addressed to the country's leaders, the trio stated that the proposal for the debate is non-partisan and in the broader interest of every citizen. They emphasised that such a debate would greatly benefit the public and contribute to strengthening the democratic process.

“As members of the public, we are concerned that we have heard only allegations and challenges from either side, and not heard any meaningful responses. As we are aware, today’s digital world carries with it a propensity for misinformation, misinterpretation, and manipulation. In these circumstances, it is fundamentally important to ensure that the public is well educated about all aspects of the debate, so they can make an informed choice at the ballots,” the letter reads.

Both the judges and the journalist have urged Gandhi and Modi to engage in a debate on key issues relevant to the ongoing elections. They suggested that the venue, duration, moderators, and format should be agreed upon mutually. Furthermore, they proposed the option for the leaders to nominate a representative if they are unable to attend in person.