In the backdrop of INDIA bloc’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’, the Election Commission of India held a press conference on Sunday and gave Rahul Gandhi a seven-day deadline to either submit an affidavit with evidence or issue a public apology, stating that in the absence of proof, all such charges are false.Addressing media persons on Sunday afternoon, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, “An affidavit will have to be given or an apology will have to be made to the country. There is no third option. If the affidavit is not received within 7 days, it means that all these allegations are baseless.”Without naming any party, the CEC indirectly responded to the Opposition’s claims that the ECI was colluding with the ruling BJP. “When politics is being done by targeting the voters of India by keeping a gun on the shoulder of the Election Commission, today the Election Commission wants to make it clear that it fearlessly stands like a rock with all voters – poor, rich, elderly, women, youth, and of every religion – without any discrimination,” Gyanesh Kumar said.The CEC underlined that the doors of the commission remain open for all parties. “At the ground level, all voters, political parties, and booth-level officers are working together in a transparent manner, verifying and signing lists, and even giving video testimonials. It is a matter of serious concern that these verified documents and testimonials are either not reaching the state or national level leaders of the same parties, or an attempt is being made to spread confusion by ignoring the ground reality,” he added.Providing statistics, Gyanesh Kumar said that in Bihar alone, over 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of all recognised parties have jointly prepared the draft lists during the SIR exercise. “A total of 28,370 claims and objections have already been filed by voters who turned 18 on July 1 or will turn 18 by October 1,” he noted.