The Election Commission issued a statement on Sunday, August 17th, addressing the opposition’s accusations and detailing how ground realities are being overlooked. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar clarified that the Election Commission remains open to all parties. He emphasized the transparent work being done at the ground level, involving all voters, political parties, and booth-level officers in verification, documentation, and video testimonials. The Election Commissioner expressed concern that these verified documents and testimonials from political parties’ district presidents and BLOs are not reaching their intended recipients or are being used to mislead by ignoring facts.
The commission also refuted allegations from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding vote theft. Gyanesh Kumar affirmed that the Election Commission treats all political parties equally, without discrimination. He explained that since political parties are formed through registration with the Election Commission, the commission cannot discriminate. The Election Commission considers all parties as equal. The commission assured it will not deviate from its responsibilities. It noted that all parties had requested voter list improvements, leading to the SIR in Bihar. The commission also stated there are still 15 days available for corrections in Bihar, and urged political parties to inform the commission of any voter list issues.