"Shameful display of puppetry": TMC's Mahua Moitra criticises Election Commission

New Delhi [India], August 18 (ANI): Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Monday said that the job of the Election Commission of India is not to attack the opposition, adding that the poll body carried out a "shameful display of puppetry" in its media interaction yesterday.
Addressing a press conference, Moitra said, "Absolutely shameful display of puppetry by the Chief Election Commissioner at the press conference yesterday. The job of the Election Commission is not to attack the Opposition. Mr Chief Election Commissioner, I would urge that you go back to your political masters."
On Sunday, the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar refuted allegations of "vote theft" by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and asked him to either furnish a signed affidavit or apologise to the nation for his remarks.
"An affidavit will have to be given or an apology should be made to the country. Teesra koi vikalp nahi (There is no third option.) If the affidavit is not received within 7 days, it means that all these allegations are baseless," CEC Gyanesh Kumar said while addressing mediapersons at a briefing at the National Media Centre in the national capital.
Rahul Gandhi had on August 7 addressed a press conference in New Delhi, in which he presented Congress's research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, a part of the Bangalore Central parliamentary constituency. Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes including duplicate voters, invalid addresses, and bulk registrations of votes at single locations.
Rahul Gandhi further pointed out an instance of 80 people registered in a single address in Mahadevapura. Rahul Gandhi had alleged that the poll body is "destroying evidence" through the directive deleting CCTV footage from polling booths.
He alleged that the EC was only preserving CCTV and webcasting footage of the election process for only 45 days after the whole process is completed, unless the election result is challenged in court.
Meanwhile, earlier today, the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) leaders continued their protest in Parliament premises against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar.
The protests have continued despite the Election Commission clarifying on the allegations on Sunday, while also asking Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to submit a signed affidavit with proof of his claims of election rigging.
MPs, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Abhishek Banerjee, Kanimozhi and others, are protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar and allegations of 'vote chori' against the BJP and the Election Commission of India.
Calling the ongoing exercise 'Silent Invisible Rigging' of votes, the INDIA bloc leaders held banners calling for the stop of 'Vote chori". (ANI)