BJP leader Amit Malviya hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his poll fraud allegations, urging him to submit a declaration naming the ineligible voters he claims are on the electoral rolls to substantiate his charges.
Malviya questioned Gandhi’s reluctance for not submitting the declaration and termed latter’s conduct as “reckless and harmful to our democracy.”
Taking to X, the in-charge of BJP IT cell, Malviya said, “For his own credibility, Rahul Gandhi must submit, under Declaration/Oath, the names of ineligible electors he claims are on the voter list, as required under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.”
He added, “If he fails to do so, it will be crystal clear that he has no real case and was indulging in political theatre, only to obfuscate facts, plant doubts in people’s minds, and tarnish the image of a constitutional body entrusted with free and fair elections. Such conduct is reckless and harmful to our democracy.”
Malviya shared the post where The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka has called upon Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to provide evidence under oath to support his allegations against the Election Commission of India. The development comes after Gandhi on Thursday leveled serious accusations against the poll panel, questioning its credibility and impartiality.
Addressing a press conference, Gandhi had leveled allegations of electoral manipulation against the Election Commission and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming that since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the poll panel colluded with the BJP to steal elections. He cited discrepancies in voter lists and sudden spikes in voting patterns.
The Karnataka CEO asked Gandhi to sign and return a declaration under oath in a proforma enclosed in the letter, along with the names of electors, to initiate necessary proceedings
The Congress leader had claimed there was “vote chori” of 1,00,250 votes in a constituency with 11,965 duplicate voters in one assembly segment, 40,009 voters with fake and invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters or single address voters, 4,132 voters with invalid photos, and 33,692 voters misusing Form 6 of new voters.
The LoP in the Lok Sabha had earlier also alleged that the ECI was “compromised” and claimed that there were irregularities in the Maharashtra assembly elections. He cited a statistically impossible surge in voter turnout within a short period as evidence of electoral manipulation. The ECI had refuted these claims, stating that the electoral rolls were updated with minimal contestation.
The CEO’s request to Rahul Gandhi is seen as a move to verify the authenticity of his allegations. By asking Gandhi to substantiate his claims under oath, the CEO aims to determine whether the allegations are based on facts or are mere speculation.
Gandhi has been vocal about his concerns regarding the electoral process, alleging that the system is vulnerable to manipulation. He has pointed to instances of alleged electoral irregularities, including fake voters, inflated voter turnout, and bogus voting.
The Election Commission has maintained that the electoral process is transparent and that the allegations made by Gandhi are unfounded. The poll body has also emphasised that the electoral rolls are updated regularly, and any claims or objections are thoroughly investigated.