‘Malicious stonewalling’: Surjewala accuse EC of shielding 'Vote Theft'

Citing Rahul Gandhi’s claim that Congress lost Haryana by just 22,779 votes, Surjewala said the Election Commission’s “procedural smoke screens” show a “fear of truth” and amount to a “crime” against democracy.

Chandigarh: Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala has lashed out at the Election Commission, accusing it of hiding "voter fraud" with its "lame duck excuses" when confronted with evidence of "mass manipulation" of voter rolls.

His remarks came after the Haryana chief electoral officer (CEO) on Saturday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to furnish documents within 10 days in support of his claims about anomalies in electoral rolls in the 2024 State assembly polls.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha on August 7 claimed that the difference between winning and losing the Haryana elections for the Congress was 22,779 votes in the entire state.

Posting the EC communication to Gandhi on X, Surjewala said, "When confronted with evidence of mass manipulation of voter rolls, the Election Commission seeks to hide the 'voter fraud' with its lame duck excuses, puerile legalese and fake technicalities. No wonder that it is now named as 'Election Capture of India' - ECI."

He said the "malicious stonewalling and obfuscation" of the Election Commission to address the issue of "vote theft" and hide behind excuses establishes its "fear of truth".

"Not once has the ECI and BJP said that Rahul ji's assertion of vote theft is wrong," he said.

"The EC is not a passive clerk of electoral paperwork. It is a constitutional guardian of the level playing field and free and fair polls, the lifeblood of democracy," Surjewala said.

"To evade scrutiny in favour of procedural smoke screens is not neutrality. It is an abdication of duty that corrodes the very democracy it is meant to protect," Surjewala charged.

The Congress leader alleged that it is nothing short of a "crime" against democracy and the Constitution and these notices will not dilute the unpardonable "sin" it is committing.

The Haryana CEO's communication to Gandhi on Sunday stated, "This is to draw your kind attention to this office communication dated August 9, 2025, referring to the statements made by you during the press conference held on August 7, 2025, pertaining to the alleged inclusion of ineligible electors and exclusion of eligible electors in the electoral rolls of Haryana."

Gandhi has been asked to furnish the particulars of the electors concerned, along with the "duly signed declaration/oath under Rule 20 (3) (b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

The Congress leader had cited data from the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to also claim over 1 lakh votes were "stolen" through five types of manipulations in an assembly segment in Karnataka.

With Congress leaders amplifying the "vote theft" allegation of Gandhi, Election Commission officials on Saturday once again pressed the Leader of the Opposition to either sign a declaration to support his claims or apologise to the country for making "fake" charges.