Rahul Gandhi Demands Clean Voter polls, Congress Launches Nationwide Campaign Against Vote Chori
The political landscape is heating up as Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, intensifies his criticism of alleged “vote chori” during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Stressing that “Vote Chori is an attack on the foundational idea of ‘one man, one vote,’” Gandhi insisted that a clean and transparent voter poll is fundamental for free and fair elections in India.
Rahul Gandhi urged the Election Commission (EC) to release digital voter rolls, calling for full transparency so that citizens and parties can independently audit the lists. “This fight is to protect our democracy,” Gandhi posted on X, reinforcing Congress’s resolve to safeguard electoral integrity.
In response, the Congress party announced a high-level meeting on August 11 at 24 Akbar Road, presided over by President Mallikarjun Kharge. General secretaries, in-charges, and frontal organisation heads will strategize a nationwide campaign against voter list manipulation and election fraud—a move inspired by the spirit of Bapu’s “Do or Die” call from the Quit India movement.
Congress, joined by its INDIA bloc partners, is also opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral polls in Bihar, vowing to fight against any attempt to undermine democracy.
At a press conference on August 7, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi raised serious concerns over alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Citing Congress’s internal analysis, Gandhi revealed that the party expected to win 16 seats in Karnataka but secured only nine, prompting a deep dive into the results of seven unexpected losses.
Rahul Gandhi spotlighted Mahadevapura, where he claimed an alarming discrepancy of 100,250 votes. “All data is 2024 data from the Election Commission. The total votes polled in the Lok Sabha were 6.26 lakhs. The BJP won with 658,915, securing a margin of 32,707. But then we look at Mahadevapura, where Congress polls 115,586 and BJP polls 229,632. Congress wins all Vidhan Sabhas but this one,” Gandhi stated.
Calling for voter poll transparency and a thorough investigation, Gandhi emphasized the need to protect the integrity of India’s democratic process. The Congress party continues to press for electoral reforms and greater accountability as it scrutinizes election results across Karnataka.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has intensified his claims of “vote chori” (vote theft) in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura, alleging that 100,250 votes were stolen through five different fraudulent methods. According to Gandhi, these included duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk registrations in single addresses—such as buildings supposedly housing 50-60 people, but where only one family was actually found.
“Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, bulk voters in a single address—a building with 50-60 names, but only one family actually living there. When we visited, there were no records of these people,” Gandhi asserted at a recent press conference.
In response, the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a strong statement demanding that Rahul Gandhi either provide a formal declaration with supporting evidence or apologise to the nation for his “false” allegations regarding voter lists. “Rahul Gandhi should either give a Declaration as per rules or apologise to the country for his false allegations,” the ECI stated.
The controversy highlights ongoing tension over electoral transparency, with Congress calling for voter poll audits and the ECI defending the integrity of the current system.
New Delhi: In a bold move to spotlight alleged “vote chori” (vote theft), MPs from the INDIA bloc—led by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi—will march from Parliament to the Election Commission on Monday. The protest, timed for around 11:30 am, targets the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which the Opposition claims has enabled large-scale voter list manipulation.
Sources reveal that floor leaders from the alliance also plan to formally register their objections in a meeting with the Election Commissioners. This demonstration follows Rahul Gandhi’s recent accusation that the Election Commission colluded with the BJP, citing the Congress’s analysis of nearly one lakh “stolen” votes in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura assembly seat during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly stressed the need for a “clean” voter roll, calling it essential for free and fair elections. “Vote chori is an attack on the foundational idea of ‘one man, one vote’… Release digital voter rolls so people and parties can audit them. This fight is to protect our democracy,” he stated on X.
With the Opposition ramping up its campaign, the demand for voter roll transparency takes center stage in India’s ongoing battle for electoral integrity.
