'Despite Daily Threats...': ECI Responds To Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Theft' Charge, Calls It 'Baseless'

The Election Commission of India has refuted Rahul Gandhi's accusations of voter fraud in the Bihar elections, calling them baseless and irresponsible. Gandhi alleged the EC was aiding the BJP and claimed to possess evidence of vote theft, threatening to expose the poll body.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of indulging in vote theft, claiming of having explosive proof to substantiate his allegations.

Source : PTI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday rebutted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations against the poll body, accusing it of large-scale voter fraud ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. The poll body slammed his claims as “baseless” and “irresponsible,” advising EC officials not to pay heed to such daily allegations and threats.

A statement issued by the Election Commission read: "Election Commission ignores such baseless allegations being made on a daily basis and despite threats being given daily, asks all election officials to ignore such irresponsible statements while working impartially and transparently."

The poll body's statement comes after the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha accused it of being directly involved in vote theft. Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted in Bihar, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the EC's actions were aimed at benefiting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

"We have said that there is a theft of votes happening and now we have open and shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in theft of votes. I am not saying it lightly, I am saying it with hundred per cent proof," he said.

He further likened the evidence he has on alleged poll irregularities to an "atom bomb", saying that when it explodes the Election Commission will have no place to hide in the country. Gandhi also said his party had suspicions of poll irregularities in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls in 2023, Lok Sabha polls, and also in the Maharashtra elections.

"As soon as we release it, the entire nation will come to know that Election Commission is working for the BJP to steal votes. We had suspicion in Madhya Pradesh elections, Lok Sabha elections, our suspicion grew during Maharashtra elections. We conducted our own investigation for six months and what we got is an atom bomb. The Election Commission won't be visible in the country when this atom bomb will explode," Rahul Gandhi said.

The Congress leader also issued a warning to those "people in the EC" who he claimed were involved in this "theft," saying they will not be spared because they are "working against India".

"Whosoever is doing this in the Election Commission, right from the top to bottom... we won't spare them because they are working against India. This is treason and nothing less than that," he said.

Gandhi's remarks came after he, along with other Opposition leaders, wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to schedule a special discussion on the ongoing voter list revision in Bihar without any further delay.