Rahul must justify vote theft claims or face action: CEC

To impugn the integrity of Indian voters and the sanctity of its electoral rolls without evidence is an affront to the Constitution itself: Gyanesh; EC's impartial claims laughable: Congress

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In a moment of rare institutional candour, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar delivered a rebuke to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, admonishing him for his incendiary allegations of electoral theft and demanding either a formal affidavit substantiating his claims or a public apology to the nation.

The Commissioner's remarks, delivered with gravitas befitting the constitutional office he holds, cast a long shadow over the Opposition's nascent campaign narrative.

The controversy erupted following Rahul Gandhi's launch of the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra'-a 1,300-kilometre march from Sasaram in poll-bound Bihar-intended to galvanise public sentiment against what he termed “vote chori” in the electoral rolls.

Citing alleged discrepancies in a Karnataka Lok Sabha constituency, Rahul Gandhi claimed over one lakh votes had been compromised through duplicate entries, fictitious addresses, and invalid photographs. The CEC responded with a pointed rejoinder.

“India is not merely a democracy-it is the world’s largest and most intricate democratic enterprise,” he declared.