Election Commission to Opposition: ‘Give Proof

New Delhi  – The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s repeated claims of large-scale voter fraud, urging the Opposition to provide concrete evidence instead of using what it described as “dirty phrases” like vote chori (vote theft).

In a statement, the EC said the principle of “one person, one vote” has been in place since India’s first elections in 1951-52. The poll authority stressed that if there is any proof of an individual voting twice, it must be submitted with a written affidavit. “Colouring all the electors of India as ‘chor’ without proof is not acceptable,” the statement read.

The Commission further asserted that such language not only attacks the credibility of crores of Indian voters but also undermines the integrity of lakhs of election staff who conduct polls.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, recently alleged that over one lakh votes were “stolen” in the Mahadevpura Assembly segment of Bengaluru Central during the 2024 elections, leading to the Congress candidate’s defeat. In response, the EC has directed Gandhi to submit a written declaration supporting his claims.