The Election Commission (EC) on Friday sharply rebuked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, terming his “wild allegations” of “vote chori” (vote theft) as “deplorable” and accusing him of threatening the poll body and its staff. The EC’s strong response came hours after Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, claimed his party possesses “open and shut” evidence of electoral irregularities, likening it to an “atom bomb” that would expose the EC’s alleged bias toward the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Gandhi’s remarks, made in the Parliament House complex, cited suspected poll manipulations in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, where he alleged crore voters were added during revisions. He warned that EC officials involved, “from top to bottom,” would face consequences for “treason.” The EC countered, stating it invited Gandhi on June 12, 2025, to substantiate past claims, but he neither responded nor provided evidence. “He has never sent any letter to the EC on any issue,” the poll body noted, dismissing his accusations as baseless.

“The Election Commission ignores such irresponsible statements and asks its officials to continue working impartially and transparently,” the EC said, condemning Gandhi’s threats as an attempt to undermine its credibility. The controversy has fueled disruptions in the Monsoon session of Parliament, with opposition parties, led by Congress, protesting the EC’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, alleging voter suppression ahead of the state’s elections.

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The EC’s rebuttal aligns with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s earlier criticism, accusing Gandhi of a “malicious campaign” to weaken democracy. Political analysts suggest Gandhi’s aggressive stance aims to rally opposition voters but risks backlash if evidence fails to materialize. With 1,200 complaints of voter fraud investigated by the EC in 2024, only 0.03% were substantiated, underscoring the poll body’s defense of its processes. As tensions escalate, the EC’s call for impartiality faces scrutiny amid India’s polarized political landscape.

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