Rahul Gandhi alleges BJP-ECI voter fraud, says 1 lakh votes stolen via 5 methods in Karnataka
New Delhi: In a development that could have far-reaching implications for Indian democracy, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has levelled serious allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of colluding with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to carry out “massive electoral fraud” across the country.
Addressing an elaborate press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday, Gandhi presented what he described as documentary evidence to support his claims, using Karnataka’s Mahadevapura assembly constituency as a case study, referring to it as the "model of vote theft."
Gandhi's claims go beyond routine political rhetoric, striking at the heart of the integrity of India’s electoral process and the institutional credibility of the Election Commission. Delivering on his promise made last week to reveal “atom bomb” level evidence, he spent over an hour laying out numerical data and documentation that he claims prove systematic manipulation of the electoral rolls.
He pointed out that in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP required to ‘steal’ only 25 additional seats to retain power, and many of those seats were won with marginal vote differences. The manipulation, he alleged, directly impacted those outcomes.
Citing Mahadevapura as the focal point of his allegations, Gandhi claimed that out of 6.5 lakh registered voters, approximately 1 lakh votes were “systematically stolen” using five key methods:
1. Duplicate voters: He alleged that 11,965 fake voters were created by registering the same individual multiple times under different IDs.
2. Fake addresses: Approximately 40,009 voters were registered under addresses where no one resides, yet votes were cast in their names.
3. Bulk voter registrations: Large numbers of voters were registered under a single residential address, Gandhi gave examples such as 80 voters under one roof, and 46 in another.
4. Invalid photographs: Around 4,132 voter ID cards contained illegible or non-verifiable photographs, yet those individuals were permitted to vote.
5. Misuse of Form-6: The form used to register new voters was allegedly exploited by uploading multiple photos for the same individual, resulting in repeated entries in the electoral roll.
He argued that these irregularities had a direct bearing on the outcome in the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency, which the Congress lost by a narrow margin.
According to Gandhi, the Congress party had been investigating these anomalies for over six months, despite facing major hurdles from the Election Commission. He alleged that the Commission deliberately shared the voter rolls in non-machine-readable formats to obstruct digital verification.
“We manually scrutinised lakhs of pages. If we stack them, the paper pile reaches 7 feet tall. Why won’t the ECI share machine-readable electronic data? They are hiding the truth to obstruct our investigation. This is a systemic conspiracy,” he said.
He further stated that initial suspicions arose during the 2023 Chhattisgarh elections, but it was after the Maharashtra assembly results in 2024 that the party's doubts regarding vote theft were confirmed. He claimed that in Maharashtra, 40 Lakh ‘mysterious’ voters were added within months and that a sudden surge in voter turnout after 5 PM raised additional red flags. Similar irregularities, he alleged, led to the Congress’s defeat in Haryana.
Openly challenging the Election Commission, Gandhi said, “If the ECI is not colluding with the BJP, then let it prove it. Why is it refusing to share electronic data and CCTV footage? As a constitutional institution, the Commission has abdicated its responsibility. This is not just a legal battle, I am speaking to the youth and citizens of India. Now, the ball is in the ECI’s court.”
By framing the issue as a people’s movement rather than a purely legal dispute, Gandhi signalled that his party would now take the fight to the public arena, aiming to shape national opinion.
The Election Commission responded immediately and sharply to Gandhi's charges. Moments after the press conference concluded, the ECI issued a directive asking the Congress leader to submit all related evidence. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Karnataka specifically sought documentation supporting the allegations concerning the Mahadevapura constituency, with a deadline set for the end of the day on Thursday.
The ECI has previously countered similar claims by pointing out that the Congress failed to file formal legal petitions when given the opportunity.
These fresh allegations come amid existing controversy over the recent removal of 65 lakh names from voter rolls in Bihar, further escalating tensions between opposition parties and the Election Commission.
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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
