The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday said that Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was “taken aback” by its detailed rebuttal to his allegations of systematic rigging of the November 2024 Maharashtra elections. The poll body also pointed out that more than 24 hours after his claims were published, Gandhi had “neither written any letter to [the] ECI nor sought any time for a meeting”.
In an op-ed published on Saturday, Gandhi claimed that the Maharashtra assembly elections were a “blueprint for rigging democracy” and alleged “industrial-scale rigging involving the capture of our national institutions”.
The Congress MP’s claims were rejected by ECI officials on the condition of anonymity.
ALSO READ | After Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi targets ECI; Poll body terms it ‘propaganda’
However, Gandhi again took to X at 6.56pm on Saturday and said: “Dear EC, You are a Constitutional body. Releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions.”
A senior ECI official said on Sunday that a formal communication from a constitutional body like the ECI is only made when approached in writing.
“It is public knowledge and everyone knows that any constitutional body including [the] ECI will formally respond only when Rahul Gandhi writes to them,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
{{/usCountry}}“It is public knowledge and everyone knows that any constitutional body including [the] ECI will formally respond only when Rahul Gandhi writes to them,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
{{/usCountry}}ALSO READ | EC vs Rahul Gandhi: Poll body slams 'absurd' Maharashtra polls claim, MP lays down 2 demands
The official added that Gandhi was “taken aback by a truthful and factual point-by-point rebuttal given once again by the commission”.
Officials privy to the development in the ECI said that though Gandhi claims the allegations against the poll body are serious, the Rae Bareli MP has avoided committing them in writing.
“Like all other national parties when the Congress was invited to meet the commission in May, the party developed a cold feet and requested for some time,” another ECI official said.