New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) has responded to opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s claims that the BJP colluded with the EC to manipulate votes, alleging that one lakh votes were stolen in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura Assembly constituency and criticizing the recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar for removing 65 lakh voters from the rolls. The EC clarified that no vote theft occurred and emphasized that such unsubstantiated allegations undermine the Constitution.
The Commission highlighted 28 measures taken over the past six months to enhance the electoral process, including linking death registration data to update voter lists in real time, strengthening voter roll accuracy, facilitating voting procedures, and improving its institutional capacities. The EC stressed that the SIR in Bihar was a key reform aimed at ensuring that all eligible voters can exercise their franchise while removing ineligible names from the lists.
Chief Election Commissioner Sanjay Kumar stated that the EC remains neutral toward all political parties and requested Rahul Gandhi to submit an affidavit within seven days to substantiate his claims. Failure to do so will result in the allegations being treated as unverified. The issue has sparked debate on social media, with calls for greater transparency, release of digital voter data, and assurances that the electoral process remains free from irregularities. Rahul Gandhi has also launched an online campaign addressing the alleged vote manipulation.