New Delhi, August 17 (HS): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday firmly rebutted allegations of “vote tampering” made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, without directly naming him, and issued a stern ultimatum: either file a sworn affidavit within seven days to substantiate the claims or tender a public apology to the nation.

Addressing a special press conference at Delhi’s National Media Centre, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar underlined that the Commission would not respond to the allegations in the absence of a verified affidavit. “Mr. Gandhi has only two options—provide an affidavit or apologize to the country. There is no third alternative. Failure to submit within seven days would imply that all accusations are baseless,” the CEC declared.

ECI Clarifies on Errors in Electoral Rolls

The Commission stressed that errors in electoral rolls cannot be equated with bogus or fraudulent voting. The CEC explained, “The responsibility of ensuring error-free rolls is collective. Minor inaccuracies are natural given the decentralized and large-scale preparation involved. Mechanisms exist to flag and correct such discrepancies well before polling.”

He further noted that post-election, parties are permitted to file affidavits regarding irregularities, which are then investigated by the Commission. “In recent polls across Maharashtra, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh, no such affidavits were submitted,” Kumar pointed out.

On Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations

Responding indirectly to the Congress leader’s presentation of alleged evidence, the CEC was categorical: “Displaying a PowerPoint presentation is no substitute for verifiable facts. Millions of voters cannot be placed under scrutiny merely on the basis of unsubstantiated numbers. Voter lists and polling are distinct processes—while errors may occur in rolls, the sanctity of the voting process remains intact.”

The Commission accused Gandhi of undermining public confidence in the electoral process by “making allegations based on inaccurate figures and unsupported slides.”

Message to Political Parties

Kumar reiterated that political parties enjoy ample opportunities to lodge objections during the roll revision process, but raising accusations after deadlines amounts to “mere politics.” With specific reference to Bihar, he confirmed that stakeholders have until September 1 to register objections under the ongoing intensive revision exercise.

“It is the Commission’s constitutional duty to include every eligible voter and exclude the ineligible. That responsibility we carry out with utmost diligence,” Kumar concluded.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar