Delhi CM Rekha Gupta hits back at Opposition over ECI row, calls allegations baseless
Synopsis
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta took the offensive on Sunday, accusing the Opposition of fabricating an institutional crisis around the Election Commission to bury its own failures. With the ECI itself having just issued a rare public clarification, the political battle over India's electoral body is far from over.
Key Takeaways
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on 27 September 2026 accused the Opposition of making 'baseless' allegations against the Election Commission of India .
The ECI had issued a press statement a day earlier to clarify an internal letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary and quell reports of differences.
Gupta defended the ECI as operating 'completely transparently', with decisions taken 'unanimously' by all three Election Commissioners.
She rejected Opposition claims that voter deletions from electoral rolls were engineered to benefit the BJP .
Gupta hit back at Rahul Gandhi 's attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar , noting Kumar was not in the role during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday, 27 September 2026, sharply accused the Opposition of manufacturing a crisis around the Election Commission of India (ECI) to distract the public from the government's developmental work. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Gupta dismissed the Opposition's allegations against the ECI and the Chief Election Commissioner as lacking any factual basis.
What the Delhi CM Said
Gupta was unequivocal in her criticism, stating: 'The opposition is attempting to create a situation in the country that has no basis in reality. Their sole objective is to mislead the public and divert attention away from ongoing development work, away from their own failures, and away from their acts of betrayal against the nation, towards the artificial crisis they have manufactured.'
She further questioned the Opposition's credibility on electoral transparency, asking whether such openness in ECI operations was ever possible during their governments' tenures. 'In the past, the Election Commission used to function entirely under their direction,' she claimed.
Context: The ECI Row
The remarks come a day after the Election Commission of India issued a press statement following an internal meeting, apparently aimed at quelling reports of differences among its functionaries. The ECI also clarified the context in which a letter was written by its officials to the Cabinet Secretary. The Opposition had seized on these developments to allege instability and bias within the poll body.
Gupta's Defence of the ECI
The Delhi Chief Minister asserted that the current Election Commission operates in a 'completely transparent' manner, with decisions reached 'unanimously' by all three Election Commissioners. She also addressed specific Opposition claims about changes to Form 6, saying no alterations were made — a position she noted had been acknowledged even by the Supreme Court.
On allegations that crores of voters were deleted from electoral rolls to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gupta retorted: 'Were you (Opposition) conducting polls by including those voters who had died or had shifted out? Now, when the real number of voters are out, the Opposition is finding fault with it.'
Rahul Gandhi and the CEC Targeted
Gupta also pushed back against Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. She pointed out that Kumar was not the CEC in 2014 when the BJP won its maximum seats in the Lok Sabha polls, arguing this undermined the Opposition's narrative of institutional bias. She went further, stating: 'Instead, the Opposition, including Rahul Gandhi, should be accused of treason.'
This is not the first time the ruling dispensation has accused the Opposition of weaponising constitutional institutions for political ends. As the ECI row continues to simmer, the political temperature in the capital is set to remain elevated in the days ahead.
Point of View
But the ECI's own need to issue a public clarification suggests the institution's optics have been damaged regardless of the facts. In a democracy where electoral trust is foundational, even the appearance of internal discord at the poll body is a story the ruling party cannot simply brand away as 'baseless.'
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Delhi CM Rekha Gupta hold a press conference on the ECI row?
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta addressed the press on 27 September to rebut Opposition allegations that the Election Commission of India is partisan and facing internal differences. She accused the Opposition of using the issue to distract from the government's development work and their own failures.
What triggered the Election Commission of India controversy?
Reports emerged of internal differences within the ECI, prompting the poll body to issue a public press statement and clarify the context of a letter written by its functionaries to the Cabinet Secretary. The Opposition seized on this to allege institutional bias and demanded accountability.
What did Rekha Gupta say about voter deletion allegations?
Gupta dismissed Opposition claims that crores of voters were removed from electoral rolls to benefit the BJP, arguing that the deletions reflected the removal of deceased or relocated voters rather than any conspiracy. She challenged the Opposition to explain why such voters were retained on rolls during their own governments' tenures.
Why did Gupta mention 2014 in reference to Gyanesh Kumar?
Gupta pointed out that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was not in the role during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when the BJP won its maximum seats. This was aimed at undermining the Opposition's narrative that the current CEC is responsible for electoral outcomes that favour the ruling party.
How did Gupta respond to Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the CEC?
Gupta rejected Rahul Gandhi's attack on the Chief Election Commissioner and stated that it was the Opposition, including Gandhi, who should face charges of treason — a sharp escalation in the political rhetoric surrounding the ECI dispute.
