EC says electoral rolls accessible on its website, refutes Rahul Gandhi’s 'vote chori' charges

While the EC insists its websites remain fully operational and voter rolls are publicly accessible, it has now put the onus on Rahul Gandhi to legally substantiate his claims or issue a public apology.

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday rejected claims that its websites in various states were down and the electoral rolls available on it were missing and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to give a written declaration about his claims on wrongful entries in voters list.

Sources in the poll authority said that if Gandhi is not able to give the declaration he should "apologise to the nation for his absurd allegations".

The Congress leader hit back asserting he has already taken oath in Parliament to uphold the Constitution.

As Gandhi continued with his attack on the EC alleging vote theft in at least three states, the poll panel said if he believes in his analysis and feels that his allegations against it are true, he should have "no problem" in signing the declaration under electoral rules and submit names wrongfully added or removed from voters' list.

However, if Gandhi does not sign the declaration, it would mean that he does not believe in his analysis and resultant conclusions and "absurd allegations". In which case he should apologise to the nation, the sources said.

The chief electoral officers of three states on Thursday asked Gandhi to share the names of electors he claimed were either included or excluded wrongfully from the voter lists along with a signed declaration for the poll authorities to initiate "necessary proceedings" in the matter.

In a fact check post on X, the Election Commission said it has not removed voters list from the websites of the state chief electoral officers and anybody can download the electoral rolls. It was responding to a user's post alleging that e-voter rolls for many states were removed after Thursday's press conference by Gandhi.

Addressing a Vote Adhikar rally in Bengaluru on Friday, Gandhi said he has already taken oath in Parliament to uphold the Constitution.

"The EC asks me to file an affidavit and give information under oath. I have taken oath inside the Parliament holding the Constitution. Today when the people are questioning the Election Commission based on data I released, the EC has shut its website," he alleged.

At a media briefing, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha claimed on Thursday that there was "vote chori" of 1,00,250 votes in a Karnataka constituency, with 11,965 duplicate voters in the segment, 40,009 voters with fake and invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters or single address voters, 4,132 voters with invalid photos and 33,692 voters misusing Form 6 of new voters.