TEST OF TRUST

EC's handling of Rahul's case will shape its institutional reputation

- KANU SARDA

THE ELECTION COMMISSION'S deadline for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to either apologise for his “vote chori” allegation or submit an affidavit substantiating it has expired. The EC's unusual alacrity in demanding accountability from Rahul has sharpened the larger question: what comes next, and what does this episode mean for the credibility of the institution tasked with safeguarding Indian democracy.

The controversy has placed the EC in an unenviable position. On one hand, it must assert that unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud cannot be allowed to erode public confidence. On the other, it cannot appear to be targeting opposition voices while avoiding its own responsibility to reassure voters. Its handling of Rahul's case will shape its institutional reputation for years to come.

Rahul's allegations of large-scale vote chori in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana and Bihar were a political gambit. It resonated with the opposition bloc already aggrieved over concerns regarding transparency of electronic voting machines (EVMs), missing voters, and what it sees as an uneven playing field.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been combative in the EC's defence. Rejecting the phrase “vote chori” as an attempt to “defame the Constitution”, he said such claims must be backed with hard evidence, not rhetoric. The EC’s stern notice demanding Rahul to either apologise or file an affidavit has a legalistic and time-bound frame, signalling its intent to discipline political discourse. Now that the deadline has lapsed, the EC must decide whether to escalate or quietly let the matter fade. Either way, suspicion about electoral fairness remains.