Election Commission Responds to Rahul Gandhi's Allegations of Electoral Manipulation

ECI Firmly Denies Claims of Partiality Amidst Rising Controversy Over Bihar Special Intensive Revision

The Election Commission of India rebuts Rahul Gandhi's accusations of vote theft, asserting its impartiality in the electoral process. ECI Chief Gyanesh Kumar calls for accountability from Gandhi, urging him to provide evidence or apologise for his claims.

The ECI rejected claims of partiality in the electoral process on Saturday, asserting that it treats both ruling and opposition parties equally, as the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) controversy gains momentum.

The Election Commission has told Rahul Gandhi that he must either provide an affidavit supporting his "vote chori" allegations within seven days or issue an apology to the nation.

"An affidavit must be submitted, or an apology must be issued to the nation. There is no alternative. If the affidavit is not provided within 7 days, it implies that all these claims are unfounded," stated Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during a press conference in New Delhi this afternoon.

During a press conference, the Chief Election Commissioner dismissed the claims of double voting and "vote theft" as unfounded. It emphasised that all parties involved are collaborating to ensure the success of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) transparently.

Additionally, the Commission referred to Gandhi's statements as an "affront to the Constitution," asserting that phrases such as "vote chori" weaken democratic institutions. Kumar also accused political parties of exploiting the Election Commission to influence voters for their own political advantage.

Kumar stated, “When politics is being conducted by intimidating the voters of India with pressure on the Election Commission, it is important for the Election Commission to publicly affirm its unwavering support for all voters, regardless of their economic status, age, gender, or religion. We will continue to stand firmly with all segments of the population.”

In response to accusations of double voting, Kumar noted that although some voters have expressed concerns, no substantive evidence has been provided. “Neither the Election Commission nor the voters of India are intimidated by such baseless claims,” he remarked.

During his media briefing, Kumar elaborated on the extensive election infrastructure. “For the Lok Sabha elections, over one crore employees, more than 10 lakh booth-level agents, and upwards of 20 lakh polling agents representing candidates are involved. In such a transparent operation with so many witnesses, can any voter possibly tamper with the votes?”

Addressing claims of double voting, Kumar remarked, “Some voters raised concerns about double voting, but when asked for evidence, none was provided. The Election Commission and voters are not intimidated by such unfounded claims. As politics seeks to target the electorate in India by putting pressure on the Election Commission, we want to affirm that the Election Commission stands firm in support of all voters across various demographics, including the disadvantaged, affluent, elderly, women, and youth, without any bias.”

He emphasised that the law offers appropriate avenues to address grievances. "Even after the results are announced by the returning officer, the law allows political parties a window of 45 days to challenge the election results by filing a petition with the Supreme Court."

Kumar continued, "After this 45-day timeframe, making such unfounded claims, whether in Kerala, Karnataka, or Bihar, becomes irrelevant. If, during that 45-day window, no candidate or political party reports any discrepancies, then after so many days, the voters and citizens of the country recognise the motives behind these baseless accusations..."

“The fact remains that all parties involved are striving to ensure the success of SIR transparently,” Kumar concluded.

Rahul Gandhi's comments came just hours after he criticised the Election Commission (EC) for its decision to request an affidavit solely from him. While inaugurating his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Sasaram, Bihar, he accused the Commission of partiality. "When I addressed the issue of vote theft at a press conference, the Election Commission required an affidavit from me. However, when BJP leaders conducted a press conference days earlier, they weren't asked for an affidavit. The Commission claims, 'Provide an affidavit affirming your data is accurate.' This data originates from the Election Commission itself. So why am I the one being asked for an affidavit?" Gandhi questioned. 

The Voter Adhikar Yatra aims to bring attention to alleged electoral discrepancies and will span more than 20 districts in Bihar ahead of elections. Gandhi was joined by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and RJD leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav during the launch.

Before the start of the yatra, a public meeting was organised in Sasaram. During this time, when Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was giving his speech, RJD workers began to hoot. Then, RJD supremo Lalu Yadav and Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who were present on stage, heard an angry Kharge utter, 'If you don't want to listen, then leave.' 

Rahul stirs up new controversies every few days. Adani, Hindenburg, farmer protests—none of which mattered, though, for his revival. Everything just spirals out of control. There's another sponsored rally-cum-yatra, with Bisleri to drink and an AC caravan for comfort.

Astonishingly, Rahul is blaming the Election Commission. Why is he acting like this? If someone's name is not on the list, that individual can approach the election officer and request that it be added. Why is he voicing this complaint without any evidence? Voters have all the means to obtain their voter ID card. How does he assert that the names of Congress voters have been removed? Considering we cannot verify who voted for whom, how does he possess a list indicating they are Congress voters?

The opposition is attempting to deceive the citizens of India and misrepresent the Constitution. This corruption must be eradicated from Indian politics as soon as possible. The Supreme Court should take decisive action to safeguard the Constitution and the Indian populace. As the Supreme Court reviews the Election Commission, it should also evaluate the disgraceful actions of the opposition to uphold democracy in its genuine essence.

The EC has so far not filed a lawsuit against the Congress party in the Supreme Court for labelling them as thieves.

The time has come for the public to dismiss such views in the upcoming Bihar elections. He is setting the stage to justify his defeat in the polls. Moreover, he is threatening the EC with consequences if he gains power, stating he will arrest them all. First of all, what are the chances of him coming to power? He hasn’t won a single seat in the Delhi Assembly or Lok Sabha. This kind of behaviour cannot easily sway the young generation of India. Unfortunately, such people are at the helm of the opposition.

Election Commission of India

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