‘Apologise or Sign Declaration’: Election Commission’s Ultimatum to Rahul Gandhi in Voter Fraud Row

The Election Commission of India on Friday intensified its confrontation with Rahul Gandhi, issuing a stark ultimatum to the Congress leader: either sign a formal declaration to substantiate his explosive claims of voter theft or “apologise to the nation for his absurd allegations.” The demand marks a dramatic escalation in the public feud that began after Gandhi accused the poll body of colluding with the BJP to rig elections.

The war of words continued as Rahul Gandhi, addressing a ‘Vote Adhikar’ rally in Bengaluru, dismissed the Commission’s demand for a sworn affidavit. “The EC asks me to file an affidavit and give information under oath. I have taken oath inside the Parliament holding the Constitution,” he retorted.

He then launched a fresh attack, alleging that the Election Commission had shut down its website after he released his data on the alleged fraud. “Today when the people are questioning the Election Commission based on data I released, the EC has shut its website,” he claimed. The Election Commission promptly fact-checked this on X (formerly Twitter), stating that electoral rolls remain available for download on state CEO websites.

The poll body has consistently challenged Gandhi to follow the legal procedure for raising objections to the electoral roll, which requires a signed declaration. On Friday, the ECI also cited the 2018 Kamal Nath judgment as a precedent, where it had successfully argued in the Supreme Court against similar claims of discrepancies in voter lists.

The core of the dispute lies in Gandhi’s allegations from Thursday, where he claimed a “voter theft” of over one lakh votes in the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha seat during the 2024 General Elections.

Chief electoral officers of three states have formally written to the Leader of the Opposition, asking him to share the specific names of electors he claims were wrongfully included or excluded from voter lists, along with the mandated signed declaration, so that “necessary proceedings” can be initiated.