‘We have no affiliation with any political party and are, instead, committed to the values enshrined in the Constitution and the judicial process that is protected by it.’ Almost 25 years into the 21st century, as India, the world’s largest democracy, heads into its 18th general election, the country’s political and social landscape is darkened by the looming shadow of authoritarianism and illiberalism.Standing against this dark tide is the Indian Constitution, with its pledge of equal citizenship to people of every faith, caste, class, gender, language and ethnicity. It is this pledge that the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG)—a collective of retired civil servants with decades of experience in public service—has been trying to uphold since 2017.