In Delhi, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of “vote theft” during his “Vote Adhikar Yatra,” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar held a press conference rejecting the charges.
Kumar stated that without a formal affidavit, such allegations cannot be investigated. He warned that unless Gandhi apologizes within seven days, the Commission will consider the charges baseless.
Rahul Gandhi had posed five questions to the Commission, alleging large-scale manipulation of voter lists, functioning as an agent of the BJP, destruction of polling video records, denial of voter rolls in digital format, and intimidating the Opposition instead of answering queries. He also raised doubts about the ongoing voter list revision exercise in Bihar.
The Election Commission maintained that it stands firmly with voters, stressing that terms like “vote theft” attack the integrity of millions of voters and election staff. It acknowledged complaints of nearly three lakh overlapping EPIC voter numbers, which it said were corrected promptly.
The Congress hit back, accusing Gyanesh Kumar of speaking like a BJP spokesperson instead of upholding his constitutional responsibility. Opposition parties claimed his remarks resembled those of a political rival and evaded direct answers.
Frustrated with his stance, some Opposition members are considering a motion of impeachment. However, under the 2023 Act, the removal of an Election Commissioner is as difficult as removing a judge, and the Opposition lacks the required numbers. Still, they intend to highlight the issue on public platforms.
Observers emphasized that since the matter is pending before the Supreme Court, both sides must restrain themselves and ensure that the truth is established beyond any shadow of doubt.
