The Election Commission of India (ECI) strongly refuted allegations of bias on Sunday, following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claims of “vote theft” during a rally in Sasaram, Bihar. Speaking at a press conference at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar emphasized that the Election Commission treats all political parties equally and operates within its constitutional framework.

Rahul Gandhi had alleged that the Election Commission showed favoritism towards the BJP by not demanding an affidavit during their press conference, while asking him for one when he raised concerns about voter fraud. Responding to these accusations, CEC Gyanesh Kumar clarified that the ECI cannot discriminate between political parties, as all are registered through the same process. “As per the Constitution of India, every citizen who has attained the age of 18 years must become a voter and must also vote. For the Election Commission, all political parties are equal. We will never step back from our constitutional duty,” he said.

Kumar also explained the transparent verification process involved in Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, highlighting collaboration between voters, political parties, and Booth Level Officers (BLOs). He expressed concern over communication lapses within political parties, noting that verified documents and testimonials from district-level party representatives and BLOs are not reaching senior leaders or are being deliberately ignored to create confusion.

The CEC assured that the ongoing revision is being conducted as per the consensus of all political parties. “When more than seven crore voters of Bihar are standing with the Election Commission, then neither can any question mark be raised on the credibility of the Election Commission nor on the credibility of the voters,” he asserted. Kumar revealed that 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) have collectively prepared a draft voter list, copies of which have been shared with all parties, and confirmed that their representatives signed the list during preparation.

With these clarifications, the ECI reaffirmed its impartiality and commitment to ensuring a fair democratic process in Bihar and across India.