Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of “vote chori” and claimed “100% proof” of voter roll manipulation.
The ECI rejected the allegations as “incorrect and baseless” under #ECIFactCheck.
BJP dismissed the charges as politically motivated, while Karnataka Congress leaders backed Gandhi’s call for a probe.
On 18th September 2025, Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attacked the Election Commission of India (ECI), heating up the political atmosphere. Rahul Gandhi alleged that widespread electoral roll manipulation had taken place in multiple states at a press conference held in New Delhi on Thursday. He referred to it as “vote chori” (vote theft) and even went on to accuse the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of protecting the people who had “destroyed Indian democracy.”
Gandhi claimed to possess proper evidence of the allegations that he had put forward to the reporters. He even cited the case of Karnataka’s Aland constituency as an example of his claims and insisted on having “100% proof.” He alleged that voter names were being removed using software on a daily basis, targeting Congress supporters and marginalized social groups. He added, “The Election Commission is protecting ‘vote chors’ and committing a ‘crime against the Constitution’, demanding the details of the deletions within a week.
The Opposition leader also pointed out that he had inside help from Election Commission whistleblowers. He further elaborated that the information he possesses is like a “hydrogen bomb” waiting to be dropped, hinting at a bigger revelation. The fraudulent additions and deletions were being carried out with the help of fake logins and mobile numbers associated with locations outside the affected states. He asserted that the idea was to operate centrally and use software to manipulate voter lists in favor of the ruling party.
The Election Commission retaliated within hours of the press conference, issuing a response under its official #ECIFactCheck hashtag. The response refuted Gandhi’s arguments regarding online roll tampering, clearly stating that “no deletion can be done online” and denounced his claims as “incorrect and baseless.” The EC also specified that certain documentation and verification are important for the process of removal or addition of names in the electoral rolls, which cannot be carried out through remote manipulation via the internet as alleged. It further underlined that it had been working with state agencies and had already provided relevant data for ongoing investigations.
The conflict did not end there, as Rahul Gandhi stood firm in his claims, flatly rejecting the EC’s rebuttal. He further stated that he would release even more evidence in the upcoming weeks to support his allegations. This sparked a wide range of reactions from across the political spectrum. The accusations were swiftly dismissed by BJP leaders, who condemned him for weakening public trust in democratic institutions. They labeled his remarks as “politically motivated” and charged him with engaging in “infiltrators-first politics,” suggesting that his story was designed to appease particular voter groups rather than protect the integrity of elections.
However, Rahul Gandhi was backed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and several Congress ministers, who called for a thorough investigation into the matter in Karnataka. Their stance, urging the EC to make relevant data public, further emphasized the controversy, leading to an institutional standoff with state leaders.
Rahul Gandhi’s fiery accusations and the Election Commission’s categorical rebuttal were highlighted by reporters present at the press conference. The controversy has turned into a political hotspot in India, with Gandhi promising additional disclosures and the Election Commission standing firm in its procedures. Now, the evidence Gandhi claims to reveal will decide the course of the scandal, whether it grows into something bigger or fades away amidst other clashes. [Rh/SY]
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