EC to hold press conference today as Rahul Gandhi takes out ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar: What we know so far
The press conference will be held a 3 pm on Sunday, news agency ANI reported.
It is unusual for the poll authority to convene a formal press conference on issues other than announcing election schedules.
While the subject of the press conference has not been specified, officials said it is related to recent allegations levelled against the Election Commision.
Gandhi has repeatedly accused the poll panel of voter-data fudging and alleged that there was "vote theft" in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Haryana.
The commission has asked the Congress leader to submit the names of those he claims have been wrongfully added or removed from the voters' list, along with a signed declaration.
The poll authority also sought an apology from Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, if he fails to give an undertaking to back his allegations.
The Election Commission's move to hold a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters' list in Bihar too is facing questions from the Opposition – who claim that the move will disenfranchise crores of eligible citizens due to want of papers.
The Supreme Court earlier asked the Election Comission to publish the details of the 65 lakh deleted names from the voters' list, with reasons of non-inclusion, to enhance transparency in the SIR in Bihar.
The Election Commission's presser comes onthe day Rahul Gandhi is set to begin his 16-day-long 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram in poll-bound Bihar.
On Saturday, Bihar's Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar said, "Sources have revealed that the Election Commission will to hold a press conference tomorrow, while on the same day, Rahul Gandhi is launching the 'Voter Rights Yatra' in Bihar."
'How long will they keep pulling strings to benefit the BJP? Now, the Election Commission should stop conducting elections and directly contest them instead,' Kanhaiya Kumar said in a post on X.
The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' is aimed at ensuring awareness and alertness among the common people about voter rights and protest against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to PTI, the yatra will cover 1,300 kilometres and will conclude with a mega rally in Patna on September 1, where leaders of various INDIA parties would attend.
Gandhi shared details of his yatra in a post on X, saying, '16 days. 20 districts. 1,300 kms. We are coming among the people with the Voter Rights Yatra.'
"This is the fight to protect the most fundamental democratic right - 'one person, one vote.' Join us in Bihar to save the Constitution," Gandhi said.
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