New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Sunday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “vote chori” remark, giving him a week’s time to either furnish proof under affidavit or issue a public apology.

The poll body made it clear that in the absence of evidence, such allegations would be deemed false.

“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,” Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said at a press briefing in New Delhi, reported India Today.

Calling Gandhi’s statement an “insult to the Constitution,” the Commission said the use of phrases like “vote chori” undermined democratic institutions.

Kumar also accused political parties of using the poll body as a political prop.

“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 to everyone that the Election Commission fearlessly stood like a rock with all the voters of all sections and all religions including the poor, rich, elderly, women, youth without any discrimination, is standing and will continue to stand,” Kumar said, according to the report.

He also dismissed claims of double voting, saying while concerns had been raised by some, no evidence was submitted.

“Neither the Election Commission nor the voters of India are afraid of such false allegations,” he asserted.

The EC’s warning came just hours after Rahul Gandhi questioned why he alone was asked to provide an affidavit.

Rahul Gandhi’s response: ‘Why only me? Why not BJP?’

Speaking in Sasaram, Bihar, at the launch of his Voter Adhikar Yatra, Gandhi said, “When I held a press conference on vote theft, the Election Commission asked me for an affidavit. But when BJP leaders held a press conference a few days ago, no affidavit was demanded from them. The Commission says, ‘Submit an affidavit that your data is correct’. This data belongs to the Election Commission itself. Why am I being asked for an affidavit?”

The Voter Adhikar Yatra, aimed at highlighting alleged irregularities in the electoral process, will traverse more than 20 districts in poll-bound Bihar.

Gandhi was joined at the launch event by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as well as RJD leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav.