Rahul Gandhi hits back at Election Commission: 'They are stealing votes in front of everyone'

Affidavit Controversy and EC's selective scrutiny

During a public address in Aurangabad, Bihar, Gandhi emphasised that the EC’s demand for an affidavit from him in response to his allegations was biased. "The Election Commission asks for an affidavit from me, but when Anurag Thakur says the same thing I am saying, it does not ask for an affidavit from him," Gandhi remarked. He pointed out what he termed as inconsistencies in the EC's actions, alleging that the Commission was selectively scrutinising his statements while letting others, including BJP leaders, off the hook.

Concerns over voter list discrepancies in Maharashtra

Gandhi further accused the EC of failing to address his concerns about a significant rise in voter numbers after the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra. "Four months after the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP alliance swept the state’s Vidhan Sabha elections, with one crore new voters appearing in BJP strongholds. The INDIA alliance, however, saw no change in voter numbers. How did these new voters appear? The Election Commission refused to explain this,” Gandhi said, calling for transparency in the electoral process.

CCTV and electronic voter list access disputed

The Congress leader also took issue with the EC’s refusal to provide a CCTV surveillance system at polling stations and denied access to electronic voter lists. Gandhi, echoing his party's concerns, accused the EC of acting in tandem with the BJP to manipulate the electoral process. "They changed the law on CCTV cameras in 2023. Why? Because Narendra Modi and Amit Shah want to protect the Election Commission from any legal action. This is a deliberate attempt to safeguard the BJP's electoral interests,” he added.

Alleged voter deletions in Bihar

Taking his allegations further, Gandhi highlighted instances of alleged voter deletions, claiming that the EC had removed the names of 65 lakh voters in Bihar. "The EC and the BJP are stealing votes in front of everyone. It’s no longer a secret; they are doing it openly. They have deleted the names of 65 lakh people in Bihar to benefit Adani and Ambani, and to silence the voices of the poor," Gandhi charged.

Gandhi criticises EC for refusal to explain voter discrepancies

He also criticised the EC's refusal to explain the voter list discrepancies, claiming that this was part of a larger scheme to deny electoral fairness to the people of Bihar. "The last thing left in the hands of the poor is their vote. They are trying to take that away too," Gandhi asserted.

Allegations of vote theft and disenfranchisement

In an attempt to bolster his case, Gandhi recalled his controversial video, where he claimed to have shared tea with the deceased. "The Election Commission has killed people who are alive. Their names were deleted from the voter list. I asked why, and they said it was an 'order from above'—an order from Modi and the Election Commission. It’s part of their plan to systematically disenfranchise the people," he added.

EC responds to allegations with reaffirmation of transparency

Gandhi's remarks come at a time when the Election Commission is facing intense scrutiny over its role in the ongoing SIR process in Bihar. The EC has previously issued a statement demanding an affidavit from Gandhi, or else it would consider the allegations as false. In response to the allegations, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar reiterated the Commission’s commitment to transparency and fairness, emphasising that the voter verification process was being carried out collaboratively with political parties to rectify errors in the electoral rolls.