'Why me, not Anurag Thakur?': Rahul questions CEC's affidavit warning; reiterates SIR 'stealing votes' in Bihar claim
Rahul Gandhi
on Sunday hit out at the
Election Commission
over its affidavit warning, doubling down on his allegation that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in
Bihar
is nothing but "stealing votes."
Launching a 1,300-km 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul in Aurangabad said, "SIR means stealing votes from the people of Bihar. Earlier, they used to do it secretly. Now they are doing it openly in front of everyone."
"The Election Commission asks for an affidavit from me. But when Anurag Thakur says the same thing that I am saying, it does not ask for an affidavit from him," the leader of opposition added.
His attack came shortly after Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in a press conference, rejected the Opposition's allegations and insisted that the voter roll process was fully transparent.
— RahulGandhi (@RahulGandhi)
CEC Kumar issuing a stern warning said that Rahul Gandhi must either submit an affidavit supporting his claims or apologise within seven days.
"If no declaration under oath given within 7 days, claims will be considered baseless and invalid…," he said, adding that those making unfounded allegations should apologise to the nation.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
The CEC rejected the Opposition's allegations, stressing that the voter roll process is transparent. "You all know that as per the law, the birth of every political party takes place only through registration with the Election Commission. So how can the EC discriminate among those very parties? For the EC, there is no ruling side or opposition side; all are equal," the CEC added.
Rahul further responded to CEC Kumar's clarification saying that the EC cannot release CCTV footage of voters due to privacy concerns, and stressed that the Commission treats all political parties equally.
"I want to ask them, you made a law for CCTV. Then why did you change that law? Why did the government change it? Do you know that no case can be filed against the Election Commissioner? Do you know when this law was made? This law was made in 2023. Why was this law made in 2023?" the leader of opposition asserted.
"Because Narendra Modi and Amit Shah want that no action can be taken against the Election Commission. Because the Election Commission is helping them and is stealing votes with them," he added, alleging that the PM Modi led-government deliberately changed CCTV-related laws in 2023 .
Kumar had earlier said that the EC cannot share CCTV footage of voters as it violates privacy, and reminded that all political parties are equal before the Commission.
"We saw a few days ago that photos of many voters were presented to the media without their permission. Allegations were made against them, they were used. Should the Election Commission share the CCTV videos of any voter including their mothers, daughters-in-law, daughters? Only those whose names are in the voter list cast their votes to elect their candidate," CEC Kumar had said.
Rahul also mocked the voter deletions, recalling a viral video he shared last week of having tea with people who had been marked 'dead' in the revised draft list.
"We, INDIA alliance leaders, have made up our mind that we will not allow vote theft in Bihar...Did you see my video where I am drinking tea with dead people? The Election Commission killed people who are alive. Their name was deleted. I asked them why their name was deleted?' he said.
The Voter Adhikar Yatra, supported by the INDIA bloc partners including the RJD, CPI(ML), and VIP, will run for 16 days across 20 districts and conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1.
Supporters carrying party flags raised slogans of 'vote chor, gaddi chhor' against the BJP and the EC during the launch.
With the Bihar Assembly polls just three months away, the yatra is being seen as a united show of strength by the Opposition in the state.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
8 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ukraine must give up land to Russia, Truth Social post amplified by Donald Trump says
US President Donald Trump on Sunday amplified a controversial message on his Truth Social platform that suggested Ukraine should be prepared to surrender some of its land to Russia. The post also cautioned that Kyiv's refusal to do so could result in heavier territorial losses in the future. "Ukraine must be willing to lose some territory to Russia otherwise the longer the war goes on they will keep losing even more land!" the post read. The repost came as US officials and European allies continued intensive talks on possible frameworks for peace. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that American officials had held discussions with national security advisers from several European nations to explore security arrangements for Ukraine that could eventually be presented to Moscow. Rubio, speaking to Fox News, noted that the meeting followed Friday's direct talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said the discussions had 'narrowed the number of key issues,' citing disputed borders, Ukraine's potential military alliances, and long-term security guarantees as the most pressing matters. 'There's a lot of work that remains,' he added. According to Reuters, sources familiar with the Trump-Putin talks indicated that proposals on the table included Russia giving up small, occupied areas in return for Ukraine formally ceding fortified eastern territory, while freezing the battle lines elsewhere. Live Events Rubio, however, cautioned that neither side could expect a total victory at the negotiating table. 'If one side gets everything they want, that's not a peace deal. It's called surrender, and I don't think this is a war that's going to end anytime soon on the basis of surrender,' he told CNN.
News18
29 minutes ago
- News18
After SC Nudge, Names Of 65 Lakh Voters Struck Off In Bihar SIR Posted On District Websites
Last Updated: During a press conference, CEC Gyanesh Kumar said as directed by the Supreme Court, the list of deleted names has been posted on the websites of district magistrates Three days after the Supreme Court's directive, the Election Commission of India has uploaded on district websites the names of 65 lakh voters struck off Bihar's draft electoral rolls following the ongoing special intensive revision exercise. The Election Commission (EC) published the details of the 65 lakh voters on the website of the Bihar chief electoral officer (CEO). During a press conference earlier in the day, chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said as directed by the Supreme Court, the list has been posted on the websites of district magistrates. He claimed that this was done within 56 hours of the court's directive. During a hearing challenging the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in poll-bound Bihar on August 14, the SC suggested that the EC should upload the enumerated list of all the people excluded from the draft voter list with the reason for their non-inclusion as this will help affected parties to take action. It also allowed excluded voters to challenge the deletion using Aadhaar card, saying it is statutory and recognised as a valid document for identity and residence even if it is not a proof of citizenship. On August 1, the reasons cited by the EC for non-inclusion of previously registered voters in the draft rolls included death (22.34 lakh), 'permanently shifted/absent" (36.28 lakh) and 'already enrolled (at more than one places)" (7.01 lakh). At the press conference, Kumar said the election system for parliament and assembly elections in India is a multi-layered, decentralised construct as envisaged by law. He said based on EC guidelines, electoral registration officers (ERO), who are SDM-level officers, prepare and finalise the electoral rolls (ER) with the help of booth level officers (BLO). These officers undertake the responsibility for the correctness of electoral rolls, he said. Kumar further said after the publication of the draft electoral rolls, their digital and physical copies are shared with all political parties and put on the EC website for anyone to see. Following the publication, a full one-month period is available with the electors and political parties for the filing of claims and objections before the final ER is published, he added. (With PTI inputs) First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
EC helping BJP in ‘vote chori': Rahul on poll panel's presser
Sasaram: Reacting sharply to the Election Commission's press conference on a day he along with INDIA bloc parties launched the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar against the SIR exercise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that a law was brought in 2023 by the BJP govt to ensure that no court can take action against election commissioners as EC is "helping them and is indulging in vote theft in collusion with them". Addressing a public meeting in Aurangabad after launching the yatra in Sasaram, he said, "I want to ask them why did the govt change the law on CCTV footage of election process?" "Do you know that no case can be initiated against the election commissioners. In no court in India can there be a case against them. This law was made in 2023. Why was this law made at this time?" he asked. Rahul alleged this law was as PM Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah "want to ensure that no one can take any action against EC as it is helping them and is indulging in 'vote chori' along with them". "EC is asking an affidavit from me but does not ask Anurag Thakur (BJP) for an affidavit when he says the same thing," he alleged, citing the alleged electoral irregularities highlighted by Congress in Karnataka. On X, Rahul said, "EC declared living people as dead, removed from voter list people who had recently voted in LS elections. EC once again refuses to deliver digital, machine-readable voter rolls. Earlier, vote was "stolen stealthily, stealthily" and now, it is being done openly in the name of SIR", he said. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on X said that "as far as the CEC's threats to Rahul Gandhi are concerned, all that needs to be said is that the LoP had simply stated facts revealed by EC's own data." He said, "This was the first time this 'new' EC was speaking directly and not planting through sources" and that the presser came "three days after SC rejected every argument made by EC to prevent publication of the 65 lakh deleted voters during SIR". Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
