New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Sunday issued a stern ultimatum to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, asking him to either back his “vote chori” charge with proof under affidavit within seven days or tender a public apology.
“If the affidavit is not received within 7 days, it means that all these allegations are baseless. There is no third option,” Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar declared at a press briefing in Delhi, calling Gandhi’s remarks an “insult to the Constitution” and an attack on democratic institutions.
The poll body accused political parties of using the EC as a political weapon and dismissed allegations of double voting, saying no credible evidence had been provided. “Neither the Election Commission nor the voters of India are afraid of such false allegations,” Kumar asserted.
The warning came just hours after Gandhi questioned why only he was being asked to submit an affidavit. Speaking in Sasaram at the launch of his Voter Adhikar Yatra, the Congress leader alleged bias: “When BJP leaders held a press conference on vote theft, no affidavit was demanded. This data belongs to the EC itself—why am I being asked for proof?”
The yatra, backed by Mallikarjun Kharge, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav, will cover over 20 districts in poll-bound Bihar, keeping the spotlight firmly on alleged irregularities in the voter rolls.
