CEC Gyanesh Kumar: file affidavit in seven days or apologise
At the National Media Centre, CEC Gyanesh Kumar said Rahul Gandhi must give a signed affidavit within seven days or apologise, failing which the allegations would be treated as baseless. He called the bias charge an insult to the Constitution, said sharing CCTV footage of voters would breach their privacy, said Maharashtra's CEO had not received a single named voter with proof, and explained last-hour turnout as an average of about 10% an hour.
No transcript on eci.gov.in or PIB was located. The Commission's later position was that no affidavit was filed. Whether Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi attended was not verified.
The CEC's 17 Aug 2025 press conference is filed as a response to the Mahadevapura charge; this charge's own notes record that it also answered the CCTV and machine-readable roll points. Rule 93, amended in December 2024, governs which election papers are open to public inspection.
See all charges and answers →- TIER 3 · PRESSGive affidavit or apologise, no third option: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Rahul Gandhi's 'vote theft' allegationsANI via WebIndia1232025-08-17“Teesra koi vikalp nahi (There is no third option.)”
- TIER 3 · PRESSINDIA bloc considering motion to remove CEC Gyanesh KumarThe Hindu2025-08-18
- TIER 3 · PRESSSubmit affidavit or apologise to the nation: CEC Gyanesh Kumar to Rahul Gandhi over his 'voter theft' allegationsThe Economic Times2025-08-17