Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has made explosive allegations of large-scale electoral malpractice, claiming that “vote-chori” (vote theft) occurred in 48 parliamentary constituencies during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to party leaders, Gandhi singled out Bengaluru Central’s Mahadevpura assembly segment as a prime example of what he called a “systematic manipulation” of voter rolls.
He announced plans to release evidence in phases, saying the findings would expose a nationwide pattern of electoral fraud.
Mahadevpura Under the Scanner
Using Mahadevpura as a case study, Gandhi alleged that over 1 lakh votes were tampered with, directly influencing the BJP’s win in Bengaluru Central.
According to his claims, the fraud took five primary forms:
- Duplicate voters – 11,965 cases.
- Invalid or fake addresses – 40,009 entries.
- Bulk registrations from single addresses – 10,452 cases.
- Invalid voter photographs – 4,132 cases.
- Misuse of Form 6 (voter registration form) – 33,692 cases.
He further stated that some individuals were found to be registered and voting in multiple locations, spanning different cities and even states.
Allegations Beyond Karnataka
The Congress leader expanded his charges to other states, particularly Maharashtra, where he claimed the discovery of one crore suspicious new voters. Gandhi asserted that such manipulations allowed the BJP to counter anti-incumbency sentiment and cling to power.
“This is not democracy; it’s theft of people’s mandate,” he declared, warning that the situation represents a constitutional crisis demanding judicial intervention.
Opposition Unity and Street Protests
On August 11, 2025, Gandhi joined opposition MPs in a protest march from Parliament to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters in Delhi. The demonstration demanded immediate action against alleged voter list irregularities.
The rally ended with nearly 300 opposition leaders being detained, intensifying the political standoff.
Prominent opposition figures like Shashi Tharoor backed Gandhi’s claims, urging the ECI to respond promptly to safeguard public trust. Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda accused the ruling party of using the EC as a political tool.
Election Commission and BJP Deny Allegations
The Election Commission dismissed Gandhi’s accusations as “baseless and misleading”, challenging him to submit his evidence under oath. Officials maintained that discrepancies in voter rolls often arise from migration, clerical errors, or database overlaps, not deliberate tampering.
The BJP called the allegations a “desperate political stunt,” with party leaders suggesting that if Gandhi truly doubts the electoral process, he should resign from Parliament. They also pointed out that duplicate entries exist even in constituencies the BJP lost.
Counterclaims and Fact-Checks
BJP and EC representatives have shared their own data, highlighting cases where voter list anomalies were detected in non-BJP constituencies. They argue this undermines Gandhi’s theory of a targeted conspiracy.
On social media, the EC published an official post labelling the opposition’s narrative as “MISLEADING” and urging citizens not to be swayed by unverified claims.
What Lies Ahead
Rahul Gandhi insists that more revelations are on the way. His team is preparing a series of public disclosures, constituency by constituency, in what promises to be a prolonged political battle over electoral transparency and accountability.
The controversy has already sparked discussions on the need for voter roll reforms, stronger verification systems, and independent audits of the election process.
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