Former Chief Election Commissioner S. Y. Quraishi has sharply criticised the Election Commission over its response to vote theft allegations made by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, arguing the EC should have investigated the charges instead of adopting a confrontational tone. Quraishi described the language used by the EC as “objectionable and offensive” and said the poll body missed an opportunity to uphold public trust.
Quraishi said that when a senior political figure raises serious complaints, the standard practice should be to launch a probe. He expressed concern that rather than opening an inquiry, the EC asked Gandhi for a sworn affidavit and threatened consequences if he failed to comply. That approach, he argued, undermines the perception of fairness.
He acknowledged that some of Gandhi’s more dramatic expressions, such as referring to his evidence as a “hydrogen bomb,” border on political rhetoric. But Quraishi insisted that regardless of style, the substance of the allegations must be examined in detail, not dismissed out of hand.
A particular bone of contention for Quraishi is the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls underway in Bihar. He warned this exercise is fraught with risks and has “put its hand in the hornet’s nest.” He said attempting in a few months what has taken decades to maintain in the voter registry invites trouble, especially if opposition concerns are not addressed transparently.
On the exclusion of Electors Photo Identity Card as a valid document for voter registration, Quraishi described the move as a “serious misstep.” He noted that EPIC is issued by the EC itself, and its rejection raises questions about consistency in electoral regulations.
Quraishi reflected on his tenure as CEC from 2010 to 2012, recalling how priority was given to opposition parties—ensuring access to EC officials, prompt appointments, and attentive handling of complaints. He contrasted that with what he perceives now as a less open and less responsive approach.
Gandhi alleges irregularities in voter rolls, citing data from the 2024 general election — including duplicate entries, invalid addresses, bulk registrations at single addresses, misuse of registration forms and invalid photographs — particularly for the Mahadevapura assembly segment in Karnataka. The EC has rejected those claims. In its defence, it has maintained that errors in rolls are addressed through periodic claims and objections processes, and that new revisions like SIR are aimed at cleaning up ineligible entries.
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