CEC Gyanesh Kumar says sharing voter photos without consent is a breach of privacy and rejects ‘vote chori’ allegations.
Election Commission Responds to Rahul Gandhi
The Election Commission of India (ECI) strongly countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of vote fraud, calling them misleading and disrespectful to the Constitution.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, said the poll body was being unfairly used as a “launchpad” to target India’s voters for political motives.
“We Stand With Voters” – CEC
Flanked by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, Mr. Kumar stressed that the Commission is impartial.
- “Every party is the same for us,” he said.
- “The Commission will never step back from its constitutional responsibility.”
- He underlined that the ECI “stands firmly with all voters without any discrimination.”
Privacy Concerns Over Voter Data
Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ charge, the CEC highlighted the risks of sharing voter information:
- The Supreme Court in 2019 ruled that a machine-readable voter list could breach voter privacy.
- Recently, photos of voters were shared publicly without consent, raising serious concerns.
- “Should the poll body share CCTV footage of voters?” Kumar asked rhetorically.
On Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar
Mr. Gandhi launched his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, targeting the ECI over alleged voter list manipulation during the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
The CEC clarified that:
- The SIR process was initiated at the request of political parties.
- Parties and voters have a one-month window to raise objections to the draft list.
- “The doors of the Election Commission are always open,” Mr. Kumar assured.
Allegations of Vote Theft Rejected
The Commission dismissed claims of large-scale fraud:
- “More than 1 crore officials, 10 lakh booth-level agents, and 20 lakh polling agents work during a Lok Sabha election. Can anyone steal votes under such transparent monitoring?” Kumar asked.
- On allegations of double voting, he said: “When we asked for proof, we got nothing.”
Demand for Proof From Rahul Gandhi
The CEC issued a direct challenge to Mr. Gandhi:
- If irregularities are found, he must file an affidavit as per electoral laws.
- Otherwise, he should apologize to the nation within seven days.
- “There is no third option,” the CEC declared.
Congress Pushes Back
After the press meet, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said the CEC avoided answering the Opposition’s key concerns.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi vowed during his Yatra that Bihar’s voters will not allow elections to be “stolen.”
The clash between the Election Commission and Rahul Gandhi underscores the intensifying political battle ahead of polls in Bihar. While the ECI defends its impartiality and voter privacy, the Opposition continues to allege irregularities — setting the stage for a heated electoral season.
Also Read : Election Commission Slams Rahul Gandhi Over “Vote Chori” Remark
