‘Baseless Remarks’: Poll Body Rejects Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Fraud’ Charge
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday strongly refuted allegations of “vote theft” leveled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, dismissing his claims as “baseless” and “irresponsible.” In a firm statement, the poll body urged its officials to continue their work impartially and transparently, ignoring such remarks.
The sharp rebuke came after Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, accused the ECI of actively participating in “vote theft” to benefit the BJP. Addressing the media in the Parliament House complex, Gandhi claimed that a six-month-long investigation conducted by his party into the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise had unearthed “open-and-shut proof” of the poll body’s complicity.
“I have said ‘vote chori’ is happening and now we have open and shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in ‘vote chori’,” Gandhi declared. He dramatically referred to the findings as an “atom bomb,” warning that “when this atom bomb explodes, you won’t see the Election Commission in the country.”
Gandhi escalated his attack by calling the alleged actions of ECI officials “no less than treason” and issued a stern warning. “Whoever in the Election Commission is involved, top to bottom, we will not spare you. Even if you are retired, we will find you,” he stated.
In its response, the Election Commission stated that it “ignores such baseless allegations being made on a daily basis.” The poll body’s statement reaffirmed its commitment to a fair electoral process, instructing all election officials to “ignore such irresponsible statements while working impartially and transparently,” despite what it described as daily threats.
