Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India, alleging that it is working in coordination with the Bharatiya Janata Party to manipulate the electoral process. At a recent press conference, he described the situation as “institutionalised chori” or organised voter theft, claiming that names of genuine voters are being removed or altered to benefit the ruling party.
According to Rahul Gandhi, the manipulation of voter lists is not accidental but a deliberate attempt to influence upcoming elections in favour of the BJP. He accused the Election Commission of turning a blind eye to complaints made by opposition parties regarding voter list irregularities. Gandhi argued that this not only undermines public trust in democratic institutions but also damages the fairness of the electoral system.
He further stated that Congress party workers in various states, especially in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, have identified large-scale discrepancies in the draft voter rolls. These include missing names, duplicate entries, and wrongful deletions of voters who are known supporters of the opposition. Rahul Gandhi said the Congress has submitted formal complaints and objections, but the responses from the Election Commission have been delayed or ignored.
The BJP has strongly refuted these claims, stating that Rahul Gandhi is attempting to divert attention from his party’s internal issues and weakening electoral performance. Party spokespersons said the Election Commission operates as an independent constitutional body and follows all due procedures. They accused the Congress of questioning democratic institutions whenever political circumstances are not in their favour.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has not issued a formal response to Rahul Gandhi’s latest allegations. However, sources within the EC have maintained that all political parties are given equal opportunity to review and file objections to draft voter lists. They also stated that any genuine errors reported during the verification process are addressed in accordance with the law and within the stipulated timelines.
Political analysts say that such direct allegations against a constitutional body are rare and reflect the rising political tensions in the lead-up to upcoming state elections. They believe that the opposition is trying to mobilise public opinion on issues of electoral transparency and voter rights, especially in states where the electoral battle is expected to be close.
The Congress party has announced plans to launch state-level campaigns to raise awareness among citizens about their voter rights and encourage them to verify their details in the electoral roll. Rahul Gandhi reiterated that the party would not remain silent and would continue to raise its voice against what he termed as "democratic erosion."
As the political battle intensifies, all eyes are now on how the Election Commission addresses these concerns and whether it takes further steps to ensure transparency and fairness in the voter registration process across the country.
