The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly responded to allegations of "vote theft" made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, demanding he either substantiate his claims with an affidavit or apologize. The ECI's firm stance comes amid heightened political tensions surrounding alleged manipulations of voter lists, particularly in the context of the upcoming elections in Bihar.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar addressed the media, refuting Gandhi's accusations and emphasizing the constitutional mandate of the Election Commission to remain neutral. Kumar stated that Gandhi's remarks were an "insult to the Constitution of India". He questioned why an election petition wasn't filed within 45 days if there were legitimate concerns about electoral malpractices, rather than raising allegations of "vote chori". The CEC also highlighted that political parties are born through registration with the Election Commission, questioning how the commission could then discriminate among them.

Rahul Gandhi has been vocal about his concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process, alleging that the Election Commission and the BJP colluded to "steal" the Lok Sabha elections. He specifically pointed to discrepancies in voter data, including duplicate voters, fake addresses, and misuse of voter registration forms. Gandhi claimed that the ECI's demand for an affidavit was an attempt to divert attention from the issue and suppress the truth. He argued that the data he presented was sourced from the Election Commission itself. "This is the Election Commission's data. This is not my data, for which I will sign an affidavit," Gandhi stated. He challenged the ECI to publish the data on its website, asserting that it would reveal the truth.

In response to the ECI's demand, Rahul Gandhi launched a 1,300-km "Voter Adhikar Yatra" (Voter Rights Journey) from Sasaram in Bihar, aimed at raising awareness about alleged electoral fraud and mobilizing public support for electoral reforms. Gandhi stated the yatra is a fight to save the constitution and to protect the fundamental right of "one person, one vote". He accused the BJP and RSS of trying to destroy the Constitution. He was joined by top INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, and other senior leaders. Gandhi alleged a conspiracy to distort the upcoming Assembly polls by adding and deleting voters.

The Election Commission, in response, issued a note emphasizing that political parties had ample opportunity to flag errors in electoral rolls during the designated claims and objections period. The ECI maintains that it is committed to ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections, and it encourages all stakeholders to participate in the electoral process constructively.