E-Paper
'Completely absurd': Election Commission on claims over Maharashtra elections
The poll body further said they are an “affront to the rule of law”, and a reply to Gandhi's allegations remains publicly accessible on the ECI’s website.
Weeks after the Election Commission of India (ECI) dismissed allegations over Maharashtra elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's fresh claims have stirred a controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party saying he was doing so to pre-empt his party's defeat in the upcoming polls.
“Unsubstantiated allegations raised against the Electoral Rolls of Maharashtra are an affront to the rule of law. The Election Commission had brought out all these facts in its reply to the INC on 24th December 2024 itself, which is available on ECI’s website. It appears that all these facts are being completely ignored while raising such issues again and again,” the ECI said.
Also Read | Fadnavis responds to Rahul Gandhi's Maharashtra ‘poll rigging’ claim: ‘Insulted voters’
“Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards the Law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections. After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised, is completely absurd,” the poll body added.
Rahul Gandhi's ‘match-fixing’ allegations?
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections were a "blueprint for rigging democracy" and this "match-fixing" would next happen in Bihar and "anywhere the BJP is losing".
Underscoring that match-fixed elections are a "poison" for any democracy, he said that the side that cheats may win the game, but it damages institutions and destroys public faith.
In a post on X, Gandhi outlined the alleged electoral irregularities in a stepwise manner — fake voters are added, voter turnout is inflated, bogus voting is facilitated, and evidence is subsequently hidden.
ECI sources on Rahul Gandhi's fresh allegations
Speaking to PTI, ECI sources called Gandhi's ‘match-fixing’ remarks absurd, adding that one cannot defame the poll body after receiving an unfavourable verdict.
They further added that misinformation spread by anyone brings disrepute to representatives appointed by parties during polls, and demotivates poll staff.
