Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 8: The Election Commission (EC) has hit back at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “match-fixing” in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, with EC insiders issuing a nine-point rebuttal on Sunday. They accused Gandhi and his party of spreading misinformation and “developing cold feet” when invited to formally present their concerns.
An EC insider noted that Gandhi’s criticisms, published in a newspaper article on Saturday, have not been formally submitted to the poll panel in writing—a prerequisite for an official response. “It is very intriguing that Rahul Gandhi on one side says that the issues being raised by him are very serious, but when it comes to pen them down in black and white to the Election Commission, he shies away,” the insider remarked.
The EC maintained that Congress, like all national parties, had been invited to meet the Commission on May 15, 2025, but allegedly “developed cold feet” and requested more time.
Responding to Gandhi’s allegations of inflated voter rolls, suspiciously high turnout, and bogus voting—which he claimed led to the Congress alliance’s poor showing (46 out of 288 seats)—the EC dismissed these concerns as unsubstantiated. They emphasized that any formal redress requires Gandhi to submit his complaints directly to the Commission.
Gandhi had also demanded that digital voter rolls and CCTV footage from polling booths after 5 p.m. be released. The EC rejected this request, explaining that as per its regulations, CCTV footage is reserved for scrutiny by the High Courts in the event of an election petition.
“Why does Rahul Gandhi, himself or through his agents, want to invade the privacy of voters, which is protected by the ECI as per electoral laws? Does Rahul Gandhi not trust even the high courts now?” an EC insider questioned.
The EC also suggested that Gandhi’s claims indirectly cast doubt on his own party’s booth agents and the integrity of polling officials, noting that “10.5 lakh Booth Level Officers, 50 lakh Polling Officers and 1 lakh Counting Supervisors across the country” felt insulted by such accusations.
The Election Commission concluded that it would formally address Gandhi’s concerns only after receiving an official complaint in writing.