Rahul Gandhi said safeguarding democracy is the job of institutions, not politicians alone, urging them to act against systematic “vote chori.”
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, September 18, 2025 – Congress leader and Lok Sabha Opposition chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday sharpened his attack on the Election Commission, accusing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of presiding over what he described as a “Vote Chori Factory.” At a press conference in New Delhi, Gandhi alleged systematic voter roll deletions, manipulations, and targeted disenfranchisement, while urging constitutional institutions to step in and protect democracy.
Without directly naming the Supreme Court, Gandhi said he expected “other institutions” to uphold their responsibilities. “My task is to participate in democracy, not to protect it. That duty lies with other institutions. What can I do if they are not discharging their responsibilities?” he remarked, underscoring his frustration with what he termed a breakdown of checks and balances.
Asked whether he intended to move the courts with his allegations, Gandhi stopped short of confirming such a step, instead stressing institutional accountability. “There are other institutions in this country that should take notice. We have provided all the evidence. What more could we do?” he said, hinting that the burden of action lay elsewhere.
READ: Rahul Gandhi Accuses CEC Gyanesh Kumar of Running a ‘Vote Chori Factory’
Presenting fresh data, Gandhi pointed to the deletion of 6,000 names in Karnataka’s Aland constituency and the addition of more than 6,000 votes in Maharashtra’s Rajura seat. “This has happened all over India. It is an attack on our Constitution and your rights,” he declared, calling on the media to independently verify his claims.
Gandhi further alleged that the Election Commission had blocked inquiries by Karnataka’s CID. “The agency wrote 18 letters over two years seeking data, but got no response. Even the Karnataka Election Commissioner’s letters went unanswered. This is clear proof that Gyanesh Kumar was protecting the vote chors,” he charged.
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चुनाव आयोग में हमारे आदमी हैं।
अब चुनाव आयोग के अंदर से हमें ‘वोट चोरी’ की जानकारी मिलने लगी है। pic.twitter.com/xDrSVwxfoy
— Congress (@INCIndia) September 18, 2025
Declaring that he holds the CEC personally culpable, Gandhi warned: “Vote chori karne wale yaad rakhen – hum aapko pakdenge aur kadi karrawai hogi” (Those committing vote theft, remember – we will catch you and strict action will follow). He added that Thursday’s disclosures were not the promised “hydrogen bomb,” but hinted that more “explosive” evidence — implicating even the Prime Minister — would soon follow.
He also revealed that insiders from the Election Commission itself had begun helping him expose irregularities. “Yes, we are getting help from people within the ECI. Everyone knows that a crime has been committed, and now they are helping us to nab these criminals,” he said.
