Affidavit or apology: EC's 7-day ultimatum to Rahul Gandhi

Rejects allegations of bias and 'vote chori'; says all parties equal before poll body

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI: In his first press conference since taking charge in February, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday asked the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to either submit his allegations of "vote theft" in an affidavit within seven days or apologise to the nation. He also said that the poll body was committed to its constitutional duty and would not discriminate between political parties.

The CEC addressed recent allegations by the Opposition about discrepancies in the electoral roll. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had at a recent press conference put forth findings of the Congress party's six-month study of the Mahadevapur Assembly segment in Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat in 2024 elections. The party claimed it found around one lakh allegedly fake voters and claimed that a similar pattern of fake addresses, duplicate entries had been used across the country.

As the CEC addressed the press conference in the Capital, Gandhi on the same day launched the "Voter Adhikar Yatra" in Bihar.

CEC Kumar, if the Congress fails to furnish an affidavit within stipulated time, his 'vote theft' claims would be rendered baseless and invalid. He said that if anyone wishes to file a complaint without being a voter of that constituency, it can be done only as a witness under oath.