Archive · 25 Sep 2026
Rahul Gandhi Targets Election Commission Over Alleged Vote Theft
Rahul Gandhi says India’s recent elections were not conducted fairly.
He accused the Election Commission and the BJP of helping to damage the voting process.
He said voter lists may have included duplicate names, invalid addresses and other suspicious entries.
He pointed to Maharashtra and several constituencies in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Gandhi also said votes could be affected through electronic voting systems.
He asked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to cooperate with investigators.
He predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah could be investigated.
The BJP rejected his criticism, while the Election Commission said disagreements among commissioners were part of normal discussions.
Congress and some allied parties announced protests over the allegations.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that India’s 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were rigged and that votes were stolen through voter-list changes and electronic voting systems.
He urged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to become an approver, alleging that Kumar had not acted independently and was protected by the Prime Minister.
Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah would eventually be investigated over the alleged election irregularities.
He cited alleged voter-roll problems in Maharashtra, Karnataka’s Aland constituency and Maharashtra’s Rajura constituency, including 100,250 disputed additions in Mahadevpura.
The BJP rejected Gandhi’s claims, while the Election Commission characterized reported disagreements among commissioners as normal deliberations; Congress and allied parties announced protests.
- Who
- Congress leader and Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi made the allegations, naming Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, the Election Commission and the BJP.
- What
- Gandhi alleged that the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were rigged and that votes were stolen through voter-list manipulation and electronic voting systems.
- When
- Gandhi made the remarks at a media presentation on a Thursday; the reports also refer to allegations he made in 2024, February 2025 and later in 2025.
- Where
- The allegations concern India’s elections, including voter rolls in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Mahadevpura in Bangalore Central, Aland and Rajura.
- Why
- Gandhi said alleged voter-roll irregularities, electronic voting concerns and actions by the Election Commission showed that electoral integrity had been compromised.
Rahul Gandhi and Congress
Election Commission and BJP
Integrity of elections
Rahul Gandhi and Congress
Gandhi alleged that the 2024 general and Assembly elections, and earlier elections, were fake or stolen through voter-list manipulation and electronic voting systems.
Election Commission and BJP
The BJP rejected Gandhi’s claims, while the Election Commission has not accepted his allegations and has described reported internal disagreements as normal deliberations.
Role of Gyanesh Kumar
Rahul Gandhi and Congress
Gandhi alleged that Gyanesh Kumar was not acting independently, had been protected by the Prime Minister and should become an approver in the country’s interest.
Election Commission and BJP
Gandhi’s allegations were disputed by the broader official and BJP response; the reports do not state that the Election Commission accepted his characterization of the CEC.
Political response
Rahul Gandhi and Congress
Congress and allied parties called for protests and said they would submit fresh parliamentary notices seeking the CEC’s removal.
Election Commission and BJP
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi attacked Gandhi’s understanding of Indian politics and rejected his criticism of the government’s electoral record.
- Main allegation
- Gandhi claimed there was complete certainty that the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, as well as earlier elections, were rigged or stolen.
- Official targeted
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, whom Gandhi urged to become an approver.
- Mahadevpura claim
- Gandhi alleged that 100,250 voters were added, including duplicate voters, invalid addresses, bulk registrations and entries without photographs.
- Maharashtra claim
- Gandhi questioned why Maharashtra’s voter rolls grew sharply between the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
- Other alleged irregularities
- He cited similar concerns in Aland in Karnataka and Rajura in Maharashtra, and referred to a photograph allegedly appearing on 22 voter identity cards.
- Election Commission position
- The commission has officially characterized reported disagreements among election commissioners as a normal part of deliberations.
- Planned action
- Congress said it would submit fresh notices in Parliament seeking the CEC’s removal, while Congress and allied parties announced protests.
