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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly dismissed allegations of electoral malpractice in the Maharashtra Assembly elections held last year. The poll body described the accusations—made following an unfavourable verdict for certain political parties—as "absolutely absurd."
The ECI’s response comes after former Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, claimed there was "match-fixing" involved in the Maharashtra polls. In a recent article, Gandhi questioned the integrity of the electoral process and accused the poll panel of bias.
Dismissing the claims, sources from the ECI clarified that any misinformation being circulated tarnishes the credibility of thousands of political party representatives involved in the election process. They emphasized that such baseless allegations also demotivate the lakhs of polling staff who work tirelessly to uphold democratic principles during India’s extensive election exercises.
"Raising unsubstantiated allegations against the electoral rolls of Maharashtra is an affront to the rule of law," ECI sources said. They further underscored that defaming the Commission in the wake of an unfavourable outcome is not only unwarranted but also harmful to the democratic fabric of the nation.
The ECI reiterated its commitment to conducting free and fair elections and urged all political leaders to refrain from making inflammatory remarks without evidence.