Rahul Gandhi Claims Poll Panel of Covering for ‘Vote Thieves’

Indian opposition leader the politician has launched a new offensive against India's election commission, alleging its head Gyanesh Kumar of “shielding democracy’s killers”.

Charges About Voter List Irregularities

The leader claimed that electors' identities had been systematically erased or inserted in registration databases to favor the governing BJP in important assembly contests.

He insisted that his vote manipulation charges were supported by “conclusive evidence” and that the poll panel had failed to act despite numerous appeals from his Congress party.

Specific Examples Cited

During the conference, Gandhi pointed to the Aland voting region in the southern state, claiming that over 6,000 voters had been stricken from electoral rolls in Congress strongholds.

He stated that disproportionately targeted voters belonged to underprivileged sections who were traditional party voters.

Gandhi also pointed to irregularities in the Rajura electoral area in another province, where he stated nearly 7,000 fictitious entries had been added to voter lists.

Authority's Reply

The electoral authority denied these allegations as “unfounded” and stated that voter names cannot be deleted online by any member of the public.

The body noted that it had filed a police complaint regarding unauthorized removal efforts in the Aland constituency during 2023.

Wider Background

These latest allegations form part of an continuing sequence of electoral fairness concerns raised by opposition parties regarding recent voting exercises.

Several former election commissioners have backed the necessity of openness and reliability in the voting system of the world's most populous democracy.