Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s accusations of vote rigging with a firm stance. During a press conference, Kumar, without explicitly naming Gandhi, stated that an affidavit must be provided or an apology offered to the nation. He made it clear that if this is not done within a week, the allegations would be considered baseless. The Election Commission had requested an affidavit from Gandhi after his accusations, but he declined, asserting that he had taken an oath as a Member of Parliament and was making his statement publicly. Kumar emphasized that repeating a statement multiple times does not make it true. He asserted that the truth remains constant, likening it to the sun rising in the east regardless of anyone’s claims. He unequivocally stated that a sworn statement must be submitted within seven days, or the accusations will be deemed false. He added that the commission should not act on such serious matters without an affidavit, as it would be against the constitution.
Kumar clarified that the commission would not take action based on flawed analyses of a PPT. He said that without evidence, a valid voter’s name would not be removed. He questioned why an investigation wasn’t initiated. Kumar responded to this by saying that 150,000 notices without any evidence or affidavit were issued. The Chief Election Commissioner stated, “We stand like a rock with the voters…” He reiterated that an affidavit or an apology to the country is required, or the allegations will be considered baseless. He also pointed out that the commission has been working diligently for 75 years, and if allegations of wrongdoing are made, they would naturally seek evidence, which they haven’t received. He emphasized that no valid voter’s name would be removed without proof and that they stand firm on this. Regarding Rahul Gandhi’s claims of match-fixing in Maharashtra, Kumar said that irregularities were alleged in the Maharashtra voter list. He questioned why claims and objections weren’t filed when the draft list was available. Kumar responded that the election commission received no names of voters with supporting evidence. He added that the elections happened eight months ago. The commission had responded to questions about the voting process, indicating that with 10 hours of voting, the average voting percentage per hour is 10%.
