New Delhi, August 18 – Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has renewed his criticism of the Election Commission (EC) during his ongoing Voter Adhikaar Yatra, accusing the poll body of enabling “vote theft” and questioning its recent demand for an affidavit from him.

Addressing supporters, Gandhi alleged that the Commission’s procedures were being used to manipulate the voter rolls and deny citizens their rights. He claimed that the EC’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise amounted to a “new form of vote manipulation” and warned that the issue was not limited to a single state but had implications for the entire country.

“The entire nation will one day seek accountability from the Election Commission,” Gandhi said, adding that the demand for his affidavit reflected an attempt to silence questions about electoral integrity. He reiterated his earlier charge of “vote chori” (vote theft), arguing that the ruling establishment and the poll body must answer for irregularities in voter list management.

The EC had previously asked Gandhi to provide evidence supporting his claims. Officials maintain that the affidavit process is a standard response to unverified allegations, stressing that the credibility of the electoral rolls remains intact.

Gandhi’s remarks come amid the INDIA bloc’s increasing focus on electoral reforms and transparency. His criticism is expected to intensify political debate over the neutrality of the Commission ahead of upcoming state elections and the 2026 Lok Sabha polls.