JAIPUR
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Friday questioned the neutrality of the Election Commission of India (EC), urging the poll body to file an affidavit declaring no irregularities in the elections it had conducted.
The remarks came after the EC demanded an affidavit under oath from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of electoral fraud. Calling the move an “absurd demand,” Gehlot said Gandhi was already bound by oath to uphold the Constitution, which includes strengthening democratic institutions.
“Instead of making such a ridiculous demand, the EC should have initiated a fair investigation,” Gehlot said at a press conference in Jaipur. He accused the BJP of undermining democratic institutions, adding that the poll panel—once globally respected—was now viewed with suspicion.
“Democracy cannot survive when the Election Commission colludes with the ruling party,” he said, defending Gandhi’s claims of electoral fraud in Maharashtra and Karnataka as “absolutely correct” and in the national interest.
Gehlot said Gandhi’s presentation had exposed “a dangerous game” being played in the country and urged the EC to address the concerns raised instead of “issuing threats.”
