New Delhi, August 17, 2025 – India’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has issued a sharp rebuttal to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his repeated allegations of “vote chori” (vote theft). Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Kumar said Gandhi’s statements were an “insult to India’s Constitution, voters, and democracy”, demanding either an affidavit with proof or a public apology within seven days.
The remarks came just as Rahul Gandhi launched his 1,300-km-long ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ from Sasaram in Bihar, aiming to intensify the Opposition INDIA bloc’s campaign against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.
Kumar strongly defended the Election Commission’s credibility, reminding that India runs the world’s largest democracy with over 90 crore registered voters. He further stressed that unfounded claims of “vote theft” without evidence could damage public faith in the democratic process.
Why CEC Gyanesh Kumar Challenged Rahul Gandhi
On 7 August 2025, Rahul Gandhi had alleged the theft of 1,00,250 votes in a Karnataka Lok Sabha constituency. He cited discrepancies such as 11,965 duplicate voters, 40,009 fake or invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters, and 4,132 invalid photos.
In response, Gyanesh Kumar said:
“If you claim that some people voted twice and call voters criminals without proof, then either submit an affidavit with evidence or apologise to the nation (desh se maafi maangni hogi). There is no third option.”
The CEC clarified that if no affidavit is submitted within seven days, the Commission will treat the allegations as “baseless.”
Top 10 Key Remarks by CEC Gyanesh Kumar
1. On Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Chori’ Charge
Kumar asserted that India’s vast electoral system cannot be undermined with blanket accusations. “When 90 crore voters stand with the Election Commission, questioning their integrity is an insult to the Constitution,” he said.
2. On Duplicate Voter IDs
Explaining the issue of duplicate EPIC numbers, Kumar revealed that around three lakh such cases were identified and corrected in March 2025. He noted two scenarios – duplication across states and multiple EPICs for the same individual.
3. On CCTV Footage Demand
Rejecting calls to release CCTV footage of polling stations, the CEC said voter privacy is paramount. “Should we share videos of mothers, daughters, and families voting? Only genuine voters cast their votes, and their dignity must be protected,” he remarked.
4. On Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
Kumar highlighted that after 20 years, a massive voter list purification drive (SIR) is being conducted in Bihar. Over 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents have verified draft lists, with 28,370 claims and objections submitted so far.
5. On West Bengal SIR
The CEC confirmed that the Commission will soon decide on conducting a similar voter list revision in West Bengal and other states.
6. On Double Voting Allegations
“When asked for proof of double voting, none was given,” Kumar said, accusing political leaders of misleading people. He stressed that the Commission stands firmly with voters across all castes, religions, and classes without discrimination.
7. On Machine-Readable Voter List
Kumar clarified that machine-readable electoral rolls are banned following a 2019 Supreme Court judgment to protect voter privacy. However, voters can still search their names on the EC’s official portal using EPIC numbers.
8. On Foreign Nationals in Voter List
Kumar reminded that only Indian citizens are allowed to vote. If non-citizens are found enrolled during the SIR process, their names will be deleted after verification.
9. On Lok Sabha Elections 2024
Over 1 crore election staff, 10 lakh booth-level agents, and 20 lakh polling agents were involved in conducting the 2024 elections. “In such a transparent system, how can anyone steal votes?” Kumar asked.
10. On Equality of Voters and Parties
Reaffirming the EC’s neutrality, Kumar said: “Every political party is born through registration with the Election Commission. All are equal before us, and we will never step back from our constitutional duty.”
Political Context and Reactions
Rahul Gandhi, while addressing his yatra in Bihar, alleged that the EC was demanding affidavits from him but not from the BJP when similar claims were made in the past. Opposition leaders like Tejashwi Yadav have also accused the Commission of helping BJP leaders secure dual voter IDs in Bihar.
However, Kumar’s strong words indicate that the EC is determined to defend its institutional integrity and voter credibility ahead of upcoming state elections.
The confrontation between CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Rahul Gandhi has added a new dimension to India’s political discourse on electoral transparency. While Gandhi continues to push his “vote chori” narrative to rally the Opposition bloc, the Election Commission has drawn a firm line, demanding either evidence or apology.
With Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise underway and Lok Sabha 2029 on the horizon, the issue of electoral credibility is expected to remain a flashpoint in Indian politics.