ECI refuted Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of voter fraud, emphasizing the process involved booth-level verification and opportunities for claims and objections. The ECI plans to implement SIR in other states, including West Bengal.
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, August 17 hinted that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which triggered uproar in Bihar will be carried out in West Bengal and other states. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the poll body was not afraid of false allegations of double voting and that the elections were transparent. The press conference comes amid Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ before the Bihar assembly elections, which he is undertaking in protest against the SIR exercise. Gandhi has urged people to “join this people’s movement.” Rahul Gandhi in a press conference on August 1 had levelled serious allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of direct involvement in large-scale voter fraud with the Congress having “open-and-shut proof” of the alleged theft. Talking to reporters on the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the Congress leader alleged that the motive behind the voter fraud was to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Rahul Gandhi said, “Votes are being stolen. We have open-and-shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in this vote theft. And I’m not saying this lightly, I’m speaking with 100% proof. And when we release it (proof), the entire country will come to know that the Election Commission is enabling vote theft. And who are they doing it for? They’re doing it for the BJP.”
Responding to the accusations, Gyanesh Kumar said that no proof was given for the allegations. “When politics is being done by targeting the voters of India by keeping a gun on the shoulder of the Election Commission, today the Election Commission wants to make it clear to everyone that the Election Commission fearlessly stood like a rock with all the voters of all sections and all religions including the poor, rich, elderly, women, youth without any discrimination, is standing and will continue to stand.”
ECI Provides Details of Bihar SIR
As part of the SIR, a total of 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) representing various political parties have prepared draft voter lists across Bihar. According to the Commission, these lists were verified at the booth level with signatures from agents of all participating political parties. The ECI reported that it has received 28,370 claims and objections from voters as part of the draft list review process. In response to allegations of partiality, the Election Commission reiterated that all registered political parties are treated equally under the law.
“As per the Constitution of India, every citizen of India who has attained the age of 18 years must become a voter and must also vote… The Election Commission will not step back from its constitutional duty,” the Commission stated.
The ECI added that its “doors are always open” to all stakeholders, and stressed that no discrimination is made between parties registered with the Commission. The Commission expressed concern that verified documents and endorsements from district-level political leaders and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) may not be reaching the higher leadership of some political parties. Video testimonials and signed verifications from the ground level, it said, support the legitimacy of the process.
Broader Details Discussed
In its statement, the ECI also addressed the broader context of post-election allegations in Bihar and other states such as Kerala and Karnataka. “Even after the returning officer declares the results, there is a provision in the law that within a period of 45 days, political parties can go to the Supreme Court and file an election petition,” Gyanesh Kumar said.
He suggested that the appropriate legal avenues were not utilized within the stipulated time, raising questions about the timing of recent allegations. The ECI added that it is working in coordination with all stakeholders, and pointed to the participation of over seven crore voters in Bihar as evidence of public trust in the process. It maintained that the commitment at all levels—from booth agents to district officers—aims to ensure the success of the SIR and uphold the electoral integrity of the state. The Commission did not name any specific political party in its remarks. It has called for focus on institutional processes and voter participation, rather than speculation or retrospective claims.