The Election Commission of India (ECI) has firmly hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his repeated allegations of irregularities in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
The Commission revealed that Gandhi has not responded to an official invitation extended to him nearly two months ago.
In a letter dated 12 June 2025, the ECI invited the Leader of the Opposition for a discussion on the concerns he raised in a newspaper article.
The Commission clarified that similar concerns had been raised by the Congress party after the 2024 elections and were addressed in detail in an official response dated 24 December 2024. The response is publicly available on the Commission’s website.
Despite this, Rahul Gandhi continued his criticism on Saturday. He, however, accused the poll body of losing its independence and even calling it ‘dead’.
Poll Panel Reaffirms Credibility of EVMs
Sources within the ECI dismissed Gandhi’s remarks as ‘baseless’. They added that such statements risk damaging public trust in a constitutional institution.
“The Commission operates in a completely transparent manner. All its actions are subject to legal scrutiny,” said a senior ECI official.
The ECI also reaffirmed the reliability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Following applications from 10 candidates who contested the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, a detailed Checking and Verification (C&V) process was undertaken. It involved 48 Ballot Units (BUs), 31 Control Units (CUs), and 31 VVPATs.
The results confirmed that all machines were functioning correctly. No mismatch was found between the EVM results and VVPAT slips.
Political Row Deepens Over Poll Panel’s Independence
The exchange comes amid growing tension between the Congress party and the Election Commission. While Gandhi alleges that the Commission is acting under pressure, the ECI’s response is seen as a strong rebuttal.
By underlining its transparency and referring to the technical validation of EVMs, the ECI has sought to counter any narrative that questions the integrity of the electoral process.
Also Read: ECI Refutes Tejashwi Yadav’s Claim Of Missing Voter Name, Calls It Baseless
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