Rahul Gandhi Accuses EC of Aiding BJP in Vote Theft
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the Election Commission of India is helping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) manipulate voter lists ahead of upcoming state elections. He claimed to have “atom bomb–level” evidence that will expose large-scale irregularities in the electoral process.
Claims of Massive Voter List Manipulation
According to Gandhi, the Congress party investigated voter roll changes in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh for over six months. He claimed to have found more than one crore (10 million) suspicious voter entries and deletions. Gandhi called the issue “vote chori” (vote theft) and said his party would reveal all findings publicly in the coming days.
Congress Plans Legal and Political Action
Gandhi stated that the evidence collected will be submitted to the Election Commission on August 5. He added that the party will also approach the courts and launch protests, beginning with a public demonstration in Bengaluru.
Election Commission Rejects Allegations
In response, the Election Commission dismissed the claims as baseless and misleading. It pointed out that Congress had not filed official election petitions in relevant states like Karnataka. The Commission also said that repeated invitations to meet Gandhi were ignored.
BJP Calls Remarks Irresponsible
The BJP sharply criticized Gandhi’s remarks, accusing him of undermining democratic institutions. Party leaders described his “atom bomb” claim as theatrical and said such language damages public trust in the electoral system.
Focus on Special Revision Exercise
The allegations relate to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls carried out in multiple states. Opposition parties have raised concerns that these revisions disproportionately target poor and marginalized voters, possibly leading to disenfranchisement.
Political Temperature Rising
As both Congress and the BJP gear up for key state elections later this year, tensions over electoral fairness are mounting. The coming weeks are expected to see legal petitions, street protests, and renewed public debate over election integrity and the role of institutions like the Election Commission.
