ECI: Rahul yet to reply on poll rigging claims

Election Commission of India on Saturday claimed that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi is yet to respond to its June letter regarding his allegations of "election rigging" in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

- TBG NETWORK

The EC said the Congress leader has not responded to an official invitation extended to him nearly two months ago.

"Why? Is it because his media statements were baseless?" ECI sources asked. In a letter dated June 12, the Election Commission had invited the Leader of the Opposition for an interaction regarding "rigging" in Maharashtra Assembly elections, he raised in a write-up that he wrote for a newspaper on June 7. He had claimed that the same will be repeated in the Bihar assembly polls due later this year. The June 12 letter reads, "We presume that any issue regarding conduct of elections would have already been raised through election petitions filed in the competent court of law by the INC candidates. However, if you still have any issues, you are welcome to write to us and the Commission is also willing to meet you in person at a mutually convenient date and time to discuss all issues. A convenient date and time may be communicated in this regard at the email ID." The poll panel has made public the letter it had sent on June 12 to the Congress MP.