Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has renewed his allegation of large-scale “vote theft” and demanded that the Election Commission (EC) provide his party with the complete electronic voter list for the entire country. Speaking at the ‘Vote Adhikar Rally’ in Bengaluru, Gandhi said he had already taken an oath in Parliament and on the Constitution, questioning why the EC was now asking him to sign an affidavit over his claims.
EC’s Affidavit Demand Sparks Criticism
The EC, through chief electoral officers in multiple states, had asked Gandhi to submit names of electors allegedly wrongfully included or excluded and sign a declaration under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised this move, saying the law’s 30-day petition limit rendered the affidavit unnecessary and calling for a probe instead. Rahul alleged that following Congress’s revelations, EC websites in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and other states were taken down.
Detailed Allegations of ‘Vote Chori’
Gandhi claimed the Congress lost Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura Assembly segment by over 1.14 lakh votes in 2024 despite winning six of seven segments in Bangalore Central. He alleged 1,00,250 votes were “stolen” through methods including duplicate voter entries, fake addresses, bulk registrations, invalid photos and misuse of Form 6. He insisted on getting 10 years’ worth of electronic voter lists with videography to prove the alleged fraud, warning EC officials that “we will catch each one of you.”
Congress Leadership Backs the Claims
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the EC of behaving like a “representative of the ruling party” rather than responding with constitutional dignity. He stressed that safeguarding democracy and the Constitution required serious action on the opposition’s concerns. The BJP has dismissed the allegations, with party leaders questioning Rahul Gandhi’s credibility and intent.
