EC not afraid of false allegations of 'vote theft': Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
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New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday defended the Election Commission of India (ECI) against allegations of bias and voter fraud, asserting that the poll body makes no distinction between the ruling party and the opposition.
Addressing a press conference at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, he said that every citizen above the age of 18 has a constitutional right to vote, and every political party is registered with the Commission under the same law, leaving no room for discrimination. He made it clear that the ECI is not afraid of false allegations of “vote theft.”
“The Election Commission does not see opposition or ruling party. For us, everyone is equal. Whoever it is, the ECI will never step back from its constitutional duty,” Kumar said, adding that terms such as “vote theft” are an insult to the Constitution and undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
“It is insult to Indian Constitution if election petition is not filed within 45 days but allegations of ‘vote chori’ are raised,” Kumar said.
The CEC emphasized that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was launched in Bihar in response to long-standing demands from political parties for corrections in the voter list. “For two decades, parties have been asking for rectification of errors in the rolls. That is why we started SIR in Bihar. Errors are being corrected with contributions from all parties, and copies of the draft list have been provided to them,” Kumar said.
He further stated that all stakeholders are committed and working hard to ensure the SIR of Bihar is a complete success. With more than seven crore voters of Bihar supporting the Election Commission, he asserted that no question can be raised on the credibility of either the Commission or the voters.
He pointed out that between August 1 and September 1, parties, booth-level agents, and citizens themselves are free to file claims and objections. So far, the Commission has received around 28,000 claims and objections, and corrective measures are under way.
“The Election Commission’s doors are open to everyone equally. Voters, political parties, and booth-level officers are working together by verifying, signing, and even giving video testimonials. These verified documents and testimonials from district party presidents and nominated BLOs are on record. The problem is that either they are not reaching the state or national leadership, or they are being deliberately ignored to spread confusion,” he added.
“In the Lok Sabha elections, more than one crore officials, ten lakh booth-level agents, and twenty lakh polling agents worked on the ground. With such a robust system, can anyone actually steal votes?” he asked.
Furthermore, Kumar warned that using voter images and voter data for political campaigns was unethical and a breach of privacy.
“The Supreme Court has already said that voter privacy cannot be compromised. Some in the public sphere are breaching this,” he said providing justification behind not sharing machine readable voter rolls to political parties.
Kumar stated, “The EC does not fear any false allegation. We are committed to ensure that every poor person, every religion, every caste, and every citizen votes without discrimination. The Commission has stood like a rock, and it will continue to stand like a rock.”
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has launched the ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ from Sasaram, Bihar, claiming widespread irregularities in the Bihar SIR and vowing to fight for voter rights.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
