The political atmosphere surrounding the upcoming Bihar elections has become charged with controversy as the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Rahul Gandhi are embroiled in a war of words over allegations of vote theft. Gandhi, leading the opposition’s charge, initiated a ‘voter rights journey’ in Bihar, accusing the ECI of failing to ensure a fair electoral process. This 16-day journey across 20 districts aims to expose alleged irregularities. The launch of the journey was marked by the presence of key leaders from the opposition.
Gandhi has consistently raised concerns about election integrity, accusing the EC of partisanship in previous elections as well. His most recent allegations focus on instances of duplicate voters, invalid addresses, and other irregularities. The EC has responded strongly to these accusations, dismissing them and issuing a seven-day ultimatum to Gandhi, demanding either an affidavit to support his claims or a public apology. The ECI’s press conference, which took place on a holiday, has raised questions about the timing and motivations behind their response.
Political analysts have pointed out the unprecedented nature of the ECI’s public response, which is a departure from their usual practice of issuing press statements. This has further fueled the debate and accusations of the ECI’s bias. The BJP has responded by accusing opposition leaders of benefiting from irregularities in voter registration. They have presented evidence of fraud and demanded resignations. They claim that the opposition is trying to protect ‘illegal infiltrators’.