Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar held a press conference on Sunday amid allegations of colluding with the BJP to manipulate electoral rolls in Bihar. During the press conference, he said that those trying to target voters using the EC's shoulders must know that the unfrightened poll body will continue to stand beside the voters.

It was the first press conference by the poll body as the opposition rallied behind Rahul Gandhi in the alleged 'vote chori' row.

Top statements 

1. On double voting charges, CEC Kumar said, "Some voters alleged double voting. When asked for proof, no answer was given. Neither the Election Commission nor any voter is afraid of such false allegations. When politics is being done by targeting the voters of India by keeping a gun on the shoulder of the Election Commission, today the Election Commission wants to make it clear to everyone that the Election Commission fearlessly stood like a rock with all the voters of all sections and all religions including the poor, rich, elderly, women, youth without any discrimination, is standing and will continue to stand."

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2. Kumar spoke on scores of allegations and events in the past fews days. The EC also registered a strong objection to the use of the photograph of a voter. Gyanesh Kumar said, "We saw a few days ago that photos of many voters were presented to the media without their permission. Allegations were made against them, they were used. Should the Election Commission share the CCTV videos of any voter including their mothers, daughters-in-law, daughters? Only those whose names are in the voter list cast their votes to elect their candidate..."

3. The CEC added that every political party is born by registration with the poll body, and hence there can be no discrimination. The CEC said, "As per the Constitution of India, every citizen of India who has attained the age of 18 years must become a voter and must also vote. You all know that, as per the law, every political party is born through registration with the Election Commission. Then how can the Election Commission discriminate among the same political parties? For the Election Commission,all are equal. No matter who belongs to any political party, the Election Commission will not step back from its constitutional duty."

4. Talking about the vote chori allegations, Kumar said that one crore employees are involved in the exercise no 'chori' can take place. He said, "In the process of Lok Sabha elections, more than one crore employees, more than 10 lakh booth level agents, more than 20 lakh polling agents of candidates work for the elections. In such a transparent process in front of so many people, can any voter steal votes?..."

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5. CEC Kumar also respondd to the demands of Rahul Gandhi to providde digital and machine readble electoral rolls. During the presser, the CEC said that in 2019, the Supreme Court went through the issue and stated that such rolls can be used to violate the privacy of the voters.

6. The CEC also spoke about the peculier case of vote duplication and challenges to remove the names. He said, "Before 2003, if you wanted to get your name deleted from the old place, then there was no website of the Election Commission, which had all the data at one place... So, since technical facilities were not available before 2003, many such people who migrated to different places, their names were added to many places. Then a question arose that today there is a website, there is a computer, you can select and delete it. The Election Commission stands like a rock with the voters... So, if this is done in a hurry, then any voter's name can be deleted wrongly. Someone else's name will be deleted in your place..."

7. On zero house numbers, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, "Many people do not have a home, but their name is also in the voter list, and what is their address given. The address is given at the place where that person comes to sleep at night. Sometimes on the side of the road, sometimes under the bridge. And then if it is said that he is a fake voter, it is a big joke with our poor voters, sisters, brothers and elders. You know that in this country, crores of people have zero number in front of their house addresses. Why? Because the Panchayat, Municipality has not given the number to the house in which they live. There are unauthorized colonies in the cities, where they do not have a number, so what address should they fill in their form?

8. On vote chori' claims of Rahul Gandhi, the EC again asked for a signed declaration and gave a deadline to the Lok Sabha LoP to either furnish the affidavit or apologise, failing which it would become clear that the allegations were fake, the poll body said.