The Congress leader warned the EC it would be held accountable, as opposition parties stepped up protests in Parliament over alleged voter roll manipulation.
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI, INDIA – July 24, 2025 – The political temperature in New Delhi soared today as Opposition parties, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of “enabling” widespread electoral fraud. Gandhi claimed his party possesses “100 percent proof” of alleged voter manipulation in Karnataka and warned the poll body of severe repercussions if they fail to address the concerns. The allegations come amidst ongoing protests in Parliament over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, which the Opposition labels a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise marginalized voters.
Speaking to reporters in Parliament premises, Rahul Gandhi did not mince words, asserting that the Congress has irrefutable evidence of irregularities. “Not 90 percent, when we decide to show it to you, it is a 100 percent proof,” Gandhi declared, sending a stern message directly to the ECI. “I want to send a message to the Election Commission: If you think you are going to get away with it, if your officers think they are going to get away with it, you are mistaken. You are not going to get away with it, because we are going to come for you.”
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Gandhi elaborated on the alleged manipulation, citing instances of thousands of unauthorized new entries of voters aged 50, 60, and 65 in a single constituency. He also highlighted the deletion of legitimate voters above the age of 18. “We just looked at one constituency and we found this. I am absolutely convinced that constituency after constituency this is the drama that is taking place,” he stated. “Thousands and thousands of new voters, how old are they? — 45, 50, 60, 65, thousands and thousands of them in one constituency. This is one thing, voter deletion, voter addition, new voters who are way above 18 (is going on)… so we have caught them.”
It’s a serious matter. The Election Commission is not functioning as the Election Commission of India should. Today, they made a statement that’s complete nonsense.
The fact of the matter is, the EC isn’t doing its job. Now we have concrete, 100% proof of the Election Commission… pic.twitter.com/urIfSGkCoC
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 24, 2025
The Congress leader emphasized that this alleged malpractice is not confined to Karnataka but is also occurring during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls currently underway in Bihar, a state gearing up for assembly elections. “The Election Commission is not functioning as the Election Commission of India,” Gandhi criticized, dismissing a recent statement by the poll body as “complete nonsense.”
The accusations have ignited a fierce political storm, leading to a continuous disruption of parliamentary proceedings for the fourth consecutive day. Other prominent Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, and DMK’s T.R. Baalu, joined the protests inside Parliament premises. Holding placards emblazoned with messages like “SIR is the murder of democracy” and “Justice, Justice, Justice,” they amplified the collective concern over electoral integrity. Tejashwi Yadav went a step further, indicating that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (Grand Alliance) could even consider boycotting the upcoming elections if their concerns are not adequately addressed.
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The Opposition collectively alleges that the SIR process, particularly in Bihar where over 52 lakh voters were recently flagged as missing from their addresses, is not merely an administrative exercise but a targeted attempt to disenfranchise marginalized voters and specific sections of the electorate ahead of crucial state elections. Congress leaders have openly accused the ECI of exhibiting a bias towards the ruling BJP and failing to respond impartially to the growing concerns voiced by political parties and the public.
In a swift response to the escalating allegations, the Election Commission issued a strong defense of its revision process. The poll body asserted that the exercise is constitutionally mandated and designed to ensure clean and accurate electoral rolls by removing ineligible voters, such as those deceased, migrated, or duplicated. “Should the Election Commission allow fake votes in the name of deceased, migrated or foreign voters?” the ECI’s statement questioned, posing a rhetorical challenge to its critics. “Isn’t the authentic voter list being prepared by the Election Commission through a transparent process, the foundation stone for fair elections and a strong democracy?”
The ECI further urged political parties to “rise above their ideologies” and consider the broader principles of democratic fairness. This defense, which has also been presented before the Supreme Court, has done little to assuage the Opposition. The ongoing protests underscore their unwavering demand for a proper discussion in both Houses of Parliament on what they deem a grave misuse of the voter list revision process.
The political standoff highlights a deepening mistrust between the Opposition and the Election Commission, with implications for the credibility of future electoral processes. As the allegations of “voter theft” and “enabling fraud” continue to reverberate, the pressure mounts on the ECI to demonstrate its impartiality and transparency, while the Opposition gears up to present its promised “100 percent proof” to the public and the very institution it is challenging. The unfolding controversy is set to be a defining feature of the current parliamentary session and a significant point of contention leading into upcoming state elections.
