"Not afraid of any notice": Congress' KC Venugopal on EC asking Rahul Gandhi to submit proof of "vote theft" claims

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], August 10 (ANI): After Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi over his "vote theft" claims, Congress MP KC Venugopal criticised the Election Commission, stating that instead of responding, ECI is issuing a notice.
Speaking to ANI, the Congress MP stated that the Congress party is "not afraid" of any notice from the ECI and they will continue to stand for the truth.
"Rahul Gandhi as a Leader of the Opposition has clearly asked five pertinent questions to the Election Commission of India with evidence. Instead of responding to those five questions, they are issuing a notice to Rahul Gandhi. We are not afraid of any notice from the Election Commission of India. We will continue to stand for the truth. People of India should know the truth. The people who are trying to kill democracy and those safeguarding those who want to kill democracy have to be exposed," Venugopal said.
The Congress MP also took to X to criticise the polling body, stating, "Rahul ji's mega expose was based on ECI's own data. So now, after he has caught you red-handed, you want him to "provide the relevant documents"? Let's be crystal clear - the data is YOUR OWN VOTER LIST."

Rahul ji’s mega expose was based on ECI’s own data. So now, after he has caught you red-handed, you want him to “provide the relevant documents”?

Let’s be crystal clear - the data is YOUR OWN VOTER LIST.

You refuse to give electronically readable voter lists.

You block access… https://t.co/KcpqF51FHh

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 10, 2025

Venugopal also targeted the ECI over "blocking" access to CCTV footage.
The social media post read, "You refuse to give electronically readable voter lists. You block access to CCTV footage. You erase the very evidence that could expose the fraud. And now, when caught before the nation, you question the whistleblower when all proof is in the public domain? That's not just ironic, it's an admission of guilt. Rahul ji has asked 5 straightforward questions: 1. Why is the Opposition denied the digital, machine-readable voter list? What are you hiding? 2. Who ordered the erasure of CCTV and video evidence? 3. Why the fake voting and voter list tampering? 4. Why threaten and intimidate Opposition leaders? 5.Has the ECI now reduced itself to acting as the BJP's election agent? The ball is in your court. No hiding, no intimidation, and no PR spin will wash away the sham you have presided over."
This comes after the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has asked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to submit documents to inquire into his "vote theft" allegations against the Election Commission of India.
In a letter dated August 10, the Karnataka CEO stated that Rahul Gandhi has claimed to have documents presented during his August 7 press conference from the Election Commission of India records, alleging that a voter, Shakun Rani, voted twice based on data shown by a polling officer.
The polling body further stated that upon preliminary inquiry, Shakun Rani has denied voting twice. The CEO's office also found that the tick-marked document presented by Rahul Gandhi was not issued by the polling officer, raising questions about the authenticity of the claim.
The letter read, "In your Press Conference, you have stated that the documents shown in your presentation are from the records of the Election Commission of India. You have said: "This is EC data". You have also stated that as per the records given by the polling officer, Smt. Shakun Rani has voted twice. You have said; "Es ID card per do baar vote lagahai, wo jo tick hai, polling booth ke officer kihai"."
"On inquiry, Smt. Shakun Rani has stated that she has voted only once and not twice, as alleged by you. Preliminary enquiry conducted by this office also reveals that the tick marked document shown by you in the presentation (copy enclosed) is not a document issued by the polling officer," it added.
The Karnataka CEO requested Rahul Gandhi to provide the relevant documents that form the basis of his allegation so that a detailed investigation can be conducted by the Karnataka electoral authorities.
The letter stated, "Therefore, you are kindly requested to provide the relevant documents on the basis of which you have concluded that Smt. Shakun Rani or anyone else has voted twice, so that a detailed inquiry can be undertaken by this office."
On August 7, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference, citing internal analysis. The LoP stated that the Congress expected to win 16 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka but ended up with only nine.
He said the Congress investigated seven unexpected losses, zeroing in on Mahadevapura, where he alleged vote theft involving 100,250 votes. Presenting Congress's research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 100,250 votes.
"We found 100,250 votes stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address, in a building with 50-60 people living. But when we go there, there is no record of those people living there. One family living in that house," he said. (ANI)