‘ECI stands thoroughly exposed’: Congress hits back at EC, says Rahul quoted poll body’s own data

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday hit back at the Election Commission of India (ECI) following its press conference on allegations of “vote chori”, insisting that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had “simply stated facts revealed by the ECI’s own data”.

Taking to X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the poll body stood “thoroughly exposed not only for its incompetence but also for its blatant partisanship”, a day after Gandhi launched the INDIA bloc’s Voter Adhikar Yatra from Sasaram.

The remarks came in response to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who challenged Gandhi to provide evidence for his allegations of voter fraud and asserted that the ECI “makes no distinction between the ruling party and the opposition”. Opposition leaders had earlier raised allegations of "vote theft" during the SIR exercise in Bihar and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Ramesh noted that the presser came just three days after the Supreme Court rejected all of the ECI’s arguments against the publication of 65 lakh deleted voters during the Bihar Special Summary Revision (SIR). Despite its objections, the apex court directed that the deleted voter list be published in a searchable format with full details and allowed Aadhaar IDs as proof of voter identity.

“Today, a short while after Shri. Rahul Gandhi launched the INDIA janbandhan’s Voter Adhikar Yatra from Sasaram, the CEC and his two ECs began by saying they make no distinction between the ruling party and the opposition. This is laughable, to put it very mildly, in the face of mountains of evidence to the contrary. Notably, the CEC answered none of the pointed questions raised by Shri. Rahul Gandhi meaningfully,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.

“All that matters now is simply this: will the ECI implement, in letter and spirit, the Supreme Court’s orders of August 14th, 2025 on the Bihar SIR process? It is constitutionally bound to do so. The nation is waiting and watching,” he added.

Responding to the ECI’s remarks on Rahul Gandhi, Ramesh said, “As far as the CEC’s threats to Rahul Gandhi are concerned, all that needs to be said is that the LoP in the Lok Sabha had simply stated facts revealed by the ECI’s own data. The ECI stands thoroughly exposed not only for its incompetence but also for its blatant partisanship.”

What did EC say?

Gyanesh Kumar mentioned that many voters had complained of double voting in the past few days, but didn't give any proof when asked for it.

"Some voters alleged double voting. When asked for proof, no answer was given. Neither the Election Commission nor any voter is afraid of such false allegations," CEC Kumar told reporters.

CEC affirmed that the Election Commission "stood like a rock" with every section of society without any discrimination.

"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 it 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," CEC said.

He stated that the ECI doesn't belong to any party and it will not step back from its "constitutional duty". CEC stated that there is no discrimination in the eyes of the ECI and every political party is equal.

"For the Election Commission, there is neither any opposition nor any party. All are equal. No matter who belongs to any political party, the Election Commission will not step back from its constitutional duty," CEC Kumar told reporters on Sunday.