
New Delhi [India], August 16 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced that it will hold a press conference in the national capital on Sunday, August 17.
“The Election Commission of India shall be holding a Press Conference at 3:00 PM tomorrow, i.e. Sunday, August 17, 2025, at National Media Centre, Raisina Road, New Delhi,” the ECI stated.
This will be the first press conference conducted by the constitutional body following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
According to the announcement, only journalists and still or TV camerapersons accredited with the Press Information Bureau (PIB) will be permitted entry to the venue.
The press conference comes ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s planned Voter Adhikar Yatra before the Bihar assembly elections, which he is undertaking in protest against the SIR exercise. Gandhi has urged people to “join this people’s movement.”
This will also be the first press conference since opposition leaders raised allegations of “vote theft” during the SIR exercise in Bihar and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, in a press conference on August 1, had levelled serious allegations against the Election Commission, accusing it of direct involvement in large-scale voter fraud, claiming the Congress has “open-and-shut proof” of the alleged theft.
Speaking on the Bihar SIR exercise, Gandhi alleged that the motive behind the voter fraud was to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Votes are being stolen. We have open-and-shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in this vote theft. And I’m not saying this lightly, I’m speaking with 100% proof. And when we release it, the entire country will come to know that the Election Commission is enabling vote theft. And who are they doing it for? They’re doing it for the BJP,” Gandhi alleged.
On August 7, Gandhi presented Congress’ research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, alleging “vote chori” (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes. He accused the BJP and the ECI of “collusion,” claiming this enabled Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure a third term.
He further alleged that the elections were “choreographed” and reiterated on Friday that those involved in the “scam” would eventually face punishment. (ANI)