By Sanjay Raman Sinha

The “vote theft” controversy has come as a godsend for a beleaguered Congress, struggling to corner the BJP. With Rahul Gandhi marshalling the party’s energies to keep the “vote theft atom bomb” smouldering, the Election Commission has found itself in the crosshairs of the Opposition. The charge: aiding the ruling BJP in manipulating the 2024 elections—where Prime Minister Narendra Modi scraped through without a sweeping margin.

Rahul Gandhi has alleged bogus voting, inflated rolls, and large-scale manipulation, citing Mahadevapura in Bangalore Central as proof. According to him, the voter list carried over 1,00,000 fake entries, including duplicates, invalid addresses, and suspicious clusters of registrations at single locations.

BJP HITS BACK

The BJP has rubbished the allegations. Shankargouda Patil, special representative of the erstwhile BJP government in Karnataka, told India Legal: “I strongly disagree with allegations of voting list irregularities. If illegal voters exist, it’s the Congress government’s responsibility to act. Polling stations are under state government control—they would be aware of any irregularities. It’s all a political stunt.”

Even as the Opposition built pressure on the Election Commission, forcing Parliament adjournments and protest marches, the Commission pushed back, asking Rahul to file an affidavit and vowing transparency.

EC UNDER FIRE

The debate has shifted from the BJP to the credibility of the Election Commission itself. With the exclusion of the chief justice of India from the CEC selection panel, critics already fear institutional compromise. Now, the Commission’s voter roll revision drive faces accusations of disenfranchising minorities and migrants under the guise of eliminating duplicate or deceased voters.

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav minced no words: “The BJP’s tactics involve manipulating votes, which is why workers must remain vigilant to prevent electoral malpractices.”

A BATTLE OVER DATA

At the heart of the storm is digital transparency. The Opposition wants public access to voter rolls for independent auditing. Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, Congress Rajya Sabha MP, told India Legal: “The demand for digital lists is to clarify why names are being deleted. The Punjab and Haryana High Court earlier directed the Election Commission to provide digital rolls and ensure videography of voting, but compliance is missing.” Former Central Information Commissioner and long time RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi concurs: “The Election Commission should provide electronic voter data under RTI. Making this online allows quick analysis and detection of flaws. The refusal raises suspicions.”

SUPREME COURT STEPS IN

The Supreme Court, hearing petitions on disenfranchisement, ordered district officials to publish the names of nearly 65 lakh voters excluded from the rolls, with reasons cited. The Court stressed that the review process must be fair, since exclusion directly impacts a fundamental right.

Earlier, the apex court had even termed Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision “voter-friendly,” but questions remain over its timing. Bihar faces polls in October-November with a compressed three-month review window, prompting critics to ask: why the tearing hurry?

TRUST DEFICIT OR FRAUD?

The Supreme Court observed that allegations “largely appear to be a case of trust deficit, nothing else,” but warned it would “step in immediately” if mass exclusion is proven. Meanwhile, former chief election commissioner TS Krishnamurthy has suggested innovative solutions, such as dual-coloured Aadhaar cards to distinguish citizens from non-citizens.

Yet, as Rahul Gandhi warns that the “movie is yet to end,” the BJP counters with counter-allegations of voter list bungling in Rae Bareilly, hinting at Congress’ own inconsistencies.

In this charged battle, the unanswered questions linger—how transparent is India’s electoral system, and who safeguards its integrity?

The post “Vote Theft” Bombshell Puts EC in the Dock appeared first on India Legal.

Source