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New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday strongly rejected allegations of voter fraud and bias, asserting that the Election Commission of India (ECI) functions with complete transparency and equal treatment of all political parties.
Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Kumar said the Constitution guarantees every Indian above the age of 18 the right to vote, and no political party can claim discrimination. “For the Election Commission, all are equal. No matter who belongs to any political party, the Election Commission will not step back from its constitutional duty,” he said.
The CEC underlined that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar is being conducted with full participation of political parties. “1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents have prepared a draft list, verified with signatures of agents from all parties. Voters have submitted a total of 28,370 claims and objections,” he said, adding that the involvement of more than seven crore voters in Bihar reflected the credibility of the exercise.
Kumar also criticised the circulation of voters’ photographs in the media without consent. “We saw photos of many voters being presented without their permission. Should the Election Commission share CCTV videos of voters, including their mothers, daughters-in-law, or daughters? Only those whose names are in the voter list cast their votes,” he said.
Rejecting allegations of double voting, Kumar said, “Some voters alleged double voting. When asked for proof, no answer was given. Neither the Election Commission nor any voter is afraid of such false allegations.” He stressed that elections involve over one crore employees, 10 lakh booth-level agents, and 20 lakh polling agents, making malpractice virtually impossible.
The CEC reminded political parties that the law provides a 45-day window after results for filing election petitions in the Supreme Court. “When that period is over and no irregularity has been reported, making baseless allegations months later shows the intention behind them,” he remarked.
On the question of a machine-readable voter list, Kumar noted that the Supreme Court in 2019 had already held such a system could breach voter privacy.
He reaffirmed that the Commission “fearlessly stands like a rock” with voters of all backgrounds—poor, rich, elderly, women, and youth—without any discrimination
