Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of protecting a “criminal vote chori factory,” alleging systematic voter deletions and manipulations in constituencies across the country. Speaking at a high-voltage press conference yesterday, Gandhi claimed that over 6,000 voters were illegally deleted in Karnataka’s Aland constituency, and that similar fraudulent voter entries surfaced in Maharashtra’s Rajura seat.
“This is not just clerical error or negligence. This is a criminal operation to steal elections,” Gandhi declared, warning that he has not yet dropped his “Hydrogen Bomb” of evidence, which he claims will expose the full scale of voter fraud in India.
Rahul Gandhi’s Core Allegations
At the press conference, Rahul Gandhi outlined what he called “five proofs” of systematic vote theft:
- Automation and software use: Gandhi presented slides showing deletion applications filed in rapid succession — “two applications in just 36 seconds” — which, he argued, proved the use of centralised software bots.
- Fake login IDs and call centres: According to him, call centres impersonated voters using fake IDs to process deletions and additions. “Someone is operating a centralised criminal vote chori factory,” he alleged.
- Karnataka CID letters ignored: Gandhi revealed that the Karnataka CID wrote at least 18 letters in 18 months to the ECI demanding IP addresses, device ports, OTP verification trails, and technical logs of these suspicious applications. “The CID is being stonewalled. Why? Because the truth will show where this operation is run from,” he charged.
- Replication in Maharashtra: Gandhi said that in Maharashtra’s Rajura constituency, thousands of fake voter entries were discovered and later removed — mirroring the Karnataka pattern.
The “Hydrogen Bomb” Rahul Gandhi Held Back
While yesterday’s conference was billed as explosive, Gandhi emphasized that it was not his “Hydrogen Bomb” revelation. “What we presented today is only one milestone. The real Hydrogen Bomb is yet to come — and when it comes, it will prove beyond doubt how elections are being stolen in India,” he told reporters.
This remark has fueled speculation about what further evidence Gandhi might release, with Congress leaders hinting at more data and testimonies.
Election Commission’s Response
The Election Commission of India swiftly countered Gandhi’s accusations, calling them “incorrect and baseless.” In an official statement, the EC stressed that no voter can be deleted without due process and that affected citizens are given opportunities to respond.
Officials further noted that most of the deletion applications flagged in Aland were incorrect or rejected, and that FIRs were filed when suspicious activity was detected. The Karnataka CEO reiterated that safeguards prevent mass voter roll tampering.
Rahul Gandhi’s Challenge to the CEC
Despite the denial, Rahul Gandhi issued a direct challenge to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar: “If the Election Commission is clean, why not hand over the technical logs? Why not show the IP addresses, the OTP trails, and the device data? Because once this data comes out, it will point straight to those running this criminal operation.”
He set a one-week deadline for the ECI to provide the logs to the Karnataka CID.
Why This Matters for Democracy
Rahul Gandhi framed the controversy as a battle for democracy itself, not just a partisan fight. “This is bigger than Congress or BJP. If people’s names can be deleted or fake voters added through a software, then elections become a joke,” he said.
His allegations — coupled with the CID’s unanswered requests — have raised new concerns about the integrity of India’s electoral process, at a time when public trust in democratic institutions is under close scrutiny.
An Eye-Opener
Rahul Gandhi’s latest press conference may not have unleashed his promised “Hydrogen Bomb,” but the details he laid out — from 6,000+ deletions in Aland to stonewalled CID letters — are already sending shockwaves across political circles. Whether the Election Commission provides the demanded logs or continues to dismiss the allegations, the “vote chori” debate has become a defining flashpoint in Indian politics.
As Gandhi put it: “The factory of vote chori will be exposed. And when it is, the people of India will see how their democracy is being stolen.”
