Haryana Chief Electoral Officer issues notice to Rahul Gandhi on voter list allegations

Chandigarh, Aug 10 (IANS) The Haryana Chief Electoral Officer, A. Sreenivas, on Sunday, issued a notice to Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, asking him to produce documents on the basis of which he had made allegations related to the state elections on August 7.

Rahul Gandhi has been asked to submit details and a signed declaration within 10 days on the alleged voter list irregularities, the notice said.

The notice also said that the statements made by Rahul Gandhi during the press conference recently in Delhi mentioned that the matter is related to the inclusion of allegedly ineligible voters and exclusion of eligible voters in the voter list of Haryana.

"Documents in this regard should be provided within 10 days so that appropriate action can be taken," it added.

The Chief Electoral Officer asked Rahul Gandhi to return the signed declaration or oath to the office within 10 days so that necessary proceedings may be initiated in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People's Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

Rahul Gandhi on Friday responded to the Election Commission of India's comments, a day after making explosive claims of a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through collusion between the BJP and the poll panel.

"The Election Commission demands an affidavit from me. It says that I must take an oath. I have already taken the oath of the Constitution in Parliament," the Congress leader said in Bengaluru.

He also claimed that the Election Commission websites in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar have been closed.

"Today, when the people of the country are asking questions about our data, the Election Commission has shut down its website. The Election Commission knows that if the public starts questioning them, their entire structure will collapse," Rahul Gandhi added.

However, if Gandhi does not sign the declaration, it would mean that he does not believe in his analysis and resultant conclusions and "absurd allegations". In which case, he should apologise to the nation, they said.

--IANS

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