New Delhi, August 18: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to either provide evidence supporting his allegations of “vote chori” during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar or issue a public apology within seven days.
At a press conference on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said the individual responsible for preparing and presenting a presentation accusing the EC of malpractice must file an affidavit. “If no affidavit is submitted, the allegations will be deemed false. There is no third option,” he stated.
Rahul Gandhi, who recently launched his ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar covering 25 districts, has accused the EC of enabling voter fraud, favouring the BJP, and disenfranchising poor voters. He alleged that 65 lakh names were deleted from Bihar’s voter lists to benefit corporate and political interests.
Rejecting the charges, the CEC defended the SIR process as transparent and impartial, involving 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) from all political parties to verify rolls. Kumar clarified that claims of double voting lacked proof and dismissed them as baseless.
The Commission also underlined its commitment to voter privacy and security, warning against the misuse of deepfakes and AI in elections. It reiterated that ineligible voters, including non-citizens, would be removed during the ongoing revision.
On the pending SIR in West Bengal and other states, the CEC said dates would be decided soon. He appealed to political parties to file claims and objections by September 1, stressing that the EC’s “doors remain open for all stakeholders.”
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi doubled down on his attack, accusing the Commission of bias and shielding BJP leaders. He demanded CCTV surveillance at polling stations and transparency in the electoral process, warning that democracy was at risk.
