ECI refutes Rahul Gandhi's 'vote theft' claim as baseless, reaffirms neutrality

New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly refuted allegations made by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who accused the poll body of being complicit in alleged "vote chori (vote theft)" for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Terming the assertions "baseless", the poll body maintained that it remains committed to conducting elections in a fair, impartial, and transparent manner.

“The Election Commission ignores such baseless allegations made on a daily basis and, despite repeated threats, urges all election officials -- who are working impartially and transparently -- not to pay attention to such irresponsible statements,” said EC sources.

The ECI also affirmed its support for polling personnel across the country, urging them to stay focused on their duties and not be swayed by what it called “irresponsible and politically motivated” remarks.

Rahul Gandhi, while speaking to reporters at the Parliament complex, alleged that the Congress possessed “open and shut” proof of electoral irregularities, going so far as to describe the evidence as an "atom bomb" that would leave the Election Commission with "no place to hide" once revealed.

“I have said ‘vote chori’ is happening and now we have open and shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in it,” Gandhi claimed, reiterating suspicions of irregularities beginning with the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections and extending to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and voter revisions in Maharashtra.

This is not the first time Rahul Gandhi has raised concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission. In June this year, following an article authored by the Congress leader alleging large-scale rigging in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, EC sources had clarified that the constitutional body would only officially respond if Gandhi, in his capacity as the Leader of Opposition, submitted a formal written communication.

In his article, Gandhi had alleged “match-fixing” in the Maharashtra elections and suggested that similar manipulations could occur in future polls, particularly “wherever the BJP is losing”. He also demanded CCTV footage from polling stations in Maharashtra during the final hours of voting, claiming discrepancies in the process.

In response to this demand, EC sources pointed out that as per existing rules, CCTV footage of polling stations is available for scrutiny -- if required -- by the relevant high court in the event of an election petition. The Commission reiterated that all mechanisms for redressal are legally and institutionally defined, and any such concerns should follow due legal channels.

--IANS

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