Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 13: Amid intensifying political accusations over alleged manipulation of voter rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday firmly denied the claims, calling them “false and misleading.”

The rebuttal came in response to a campaign led by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who has alleged large-scale voter fraud facilitated by the ECI. He described it as a threat to the core democratic principle of “one person, one vote.”

As part of his campaign, launched through the website votechori.in, Gandhi demanded that the Commission release digital versions of the voter rolls for public scrutiny. He claimed that fake and duplicate entries were being used to influence results in key seats, citing alleged irregularities in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura constituency.

In a detailed statement, the ECI dismissed these allegations and asserted that electoral rolls are prepared strictly in line with the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. It underlined that inclusions, deletions, or corrections can only be made following legal procedures and with proper evidence.

The Commission also clarified that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are not empowered to issue mass deletion notices based on media or social media claims. Doing so, it warned, could lead to the unjust harassment of thousands of legitimate voters.

Referring to Rule 20(3)(b), the Commission said that any individual alleging wrongful entries in the electoral roll must submit their claims through a formal, sworn declaration. It urged political actors to avoid public accusations unless backed by verifiable evidence submitted through proper legal channels.

In its closing remarks, the Commission reaffirmed its neutrality and commitment: “The Election Commission was, is, and will always stand with each eligible elector.”

As elections approach, the ECI’s sharp response seeks to calm growing public concern and push back against what it views as politically driven efforts to undermine voter confidence. The controversy now sits at the heart of the broader national discourse on electoral transparency and accountability.