CEC Gyanesh Kumar To Rahul Gandhi: Give Allegations Affidavit in 7 Days or Apologise to the Nation

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's charge of "vote fraud," with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar issuing a sharp ultimatum: substantiate the accusation and give an affidavit within seven days or apologise to the people of India.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, Kumar said Gandhi's repeated use of the term "vote chori" was not just a political barb but "an insult to the Constitution and to millions of voters who participate in the democratic process with faith and pride."

"The Election Commission stands with every voter of this country. Casting aspersions without evidence weakens democracy. If such allegations continue, Mr. Gandhi must either submit proof in the form of an affidavit or apologise to the nation," Kumar declared.

'Targeting Voters Through Politics'

Kumar accused political leaders of dragging the poll body into partisan battles. He stressed that the Commission's role is to uphold the sanctity of elections, not to be a political punching bag. "Our responsibility is constitutional. We treat all parties equally and we will not be intimidated," he said.

He explained that the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls was initiated to address parties' concerns about errors. A one-month window was provided for objections, and all discrepancies can still be raised transparently.

Transparency vs. Misinformation

Rejecting allegations of double voting and inflated voter lists, Kumar pointed out that India's elections involve over one crore officials and 30 lakh agents. "To call this process fraudulent without a shred of evidence is irresponsible," he said.

On privacy concerns, Kumar reminded parties of a 2019 Supreme Court ruling warning against misuse of voter data. "Will those demanding machine-readable lists also agree to share CCTV footage of voters? Democracy cannot be compromised for political convenience," he asked.

Rahul Gandhi's Claims

Rahul Gandhi, while launching his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, accused the ECI of colluding with the BJP and "stealing" elections through manipulated rolls. He earlier claimed irregularities in Karnataka's Mahadevapura Assembly segment during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

But the poll body has turned the tables, demanding that Gandhi either prove his claims with sworn testimony or retract them. Kumar made it clear: "If there is no evidence, the statement is baseless. Mr. Gandhi owes an explanation-or an apology-to the people of India."