The Election Commission (EC) has strongly refuted allegations of vote manipulation in the 2024 Haryana Assembly Elections made by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, questioning why his party failed to file appeals against the electoral rolls if discrepancies were apparent. The EC's response comes after Gandhi's press conference, dubbed the "H-Files," where he claimed approximately 2.5 million votes were stolen in Haryana. He alleged that the Election Commission colluded with the BJP to ensure their victory, accusing the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the two election commissioners of being in "partnership" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sources within the Election Commission have expressed surprise at Gandhi's accusations, highlighting the absence of appeals from Congress representatives during the electoral roll revision process and the actual polling. The EC also questioned why Congress polling agents did not raise objections at polling stations if they suspected duplicate voters. The commission further inquired whether Gandhi supports the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which aims to remove duplicate, deceased, and shifted voters, along with verifying citizenship.
The EC sources pointed out that there were no objections raised by the Congress Booth Level Agents (BLAs) during the revision process to avoid multiple names appearing on the rolls. They also challenged Gandhi's assertion that duplicates voted for the BJP, stating that official records indicate many of these votes went to the Congress itself. Regarding the issue of several voters being registered at the same address, the EC clarified that "House Number Zero" is a generic description used where municipalities or panchayats have not assigned specific house numbers.
Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has also addressed Gandhi's claims, stating that the draft electoral rolls were shared with all recognized political parties on August 2nd last year, and the final rolls were published and shared on August 27th. The CEO added that the electoral rolls were finalized as of the last date of withdrawal and shared with contesting candidates on September 16th, 2024. A detailed response to Gandhi's remarks is forthcoming.
The Election Commission has, in the past, demanded that Gandhi either sign a declaration affirming the truthfulness of his allegations or apologize to the nation. In August 2025, the EC challenged Gandhi to share concrete proof with a signed affidavit, calling his allegations "absurd" and "false". The Commission has also stated that if Gandhi is unwilling to submit a signed affidavit, he should apologize for his allegations.
Gandhi claimed that exit polls showed the Congress winning, but the final results told a different story. He alleged that the issue was not confined to any one region and that in postal ballots, the Congress was leading, but the official outcomes did not reflect that. He presented details about the electoral rolls, including instances of a woman's photograph allegedly appearing on multiple voter ID cards and a single individual registered with numerous voters at one address. Gandhi has accused the EC of refusing to deploy its software designed to identify duplicate voters, alleging that they are aiding the BJP.
The EC's strong rebuttal and demand for evidence or an apology highlight the seriousness of the allegations and the importance of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. The controversy unfolds as Bihar prepares for its first phase of polling, adding another layer of political tension to the situation.
