"Dirty Word": Election Body Slams Rahul Gandhi's "Vote Chori" Campaign

Countering Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "vote fraud" allegations, the Election Commission has said such charges must be substantiated by evidence and pursued through proper process, and using "dirty phrases" like "vote chori" is an "assault on the integrity" of poll staff.

Mr Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, has launched an all-out offensive against the poll body, alleging massive irregularities in the polling at Karnataka's Mahadevapura in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. He has accused the poll body of colluding with the BJP to ensure the ruling party's victory.

In its response, the poll body said the concept of "One Person, One Vote" has been written into Indian election law since the country's first general elections. "If anyone has any proof of any person actually voting twice in any election, it should be shared with ECI with a written affidavit rather than colouring all the electors of India as 'chor' without any proof," the Commission said.

Describing "vote chori" as a "dirty word", the poll body said such terms not only defame crores of Indian voters, but also hurt the self-esteem of lakhs of poll officials who work to ensure elections are free and fair. "Dissemination of false reports is a direct attack on the honesty of the electoral process," the commission said.

Following his allegations of vote fraud, the poll body had urged Mr Gandhi to submit an affidavit with details of his allegations. The Congress leader refused to file any such affidavit, alleging that the poll body is trying to divert the issue. "This is their data. It is not my data that I should sign. It is their data only and has been taken from their website. This is only a move to distract," he has said.