In response to recent allegations of vote fraud, the Election Commission (EC) has strongly refuted claims made by Rahul Gandhi, labeling them as baseless and irresponsible. Gandhi has repeatedly accused the EC of electoral misconduct, specifically alleging that the commission is aiding the BJP in manipulating elections.

Gandhi's accusations include claims of "vote theft" during the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, asserting that the Congress party has uncovered evidence of the EC's involvement. He stated that the party digitized a constituency's voters list and, after six months of research, discovered how the alleged manipulation was carried out. Gandhi has gone so far as to say that he has "open and shut proof" of the EC's involvement in vote theft and that the Congress party has uncovered an "atom bomb" of evidence. He also alleges that thousands of bogus voters were added to electoral rolls in Karnataka, while eligible voters were removed.

These allegations have emerged amidst a wider controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Gandhi has drawn parallels between Bihar and Maharashtra, accusing the EC of vote manipulation in both states. He has also claimed that the BJP and EC are conspiring to steal assembly elections in Bihar.

The EC has defended its voter verification process in Bihar, stating that its purpose is to remove ineligible voters from the electoral rolls, such as deceased or migrant voters. The commission has questioned whether it should allow fraudulent votes to be cast out of fear or under the influence of individuals, emphasizing that an authentic voters list is the foundation of free and fair elections. They also state that the electoral rolls are prepared transparently and shared with recognized parties.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has supported Gandhi's claims, stating that the Congress leader has collected evidence of vote manipulation during the Lok Sabha elections in the state. He announced that Gandhi would lead a protest in Bengaluru on August 5 to submit a formal representation to the EC. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar echoed these concerns, alleging that the BJP misused institutions even during the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

In response to the allegations, the EC has maintained that the electoral rolls are prepared transparently and shared with recognized parties. The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer has refuted Gandhi's charges of election cheating. The EC has also expressed its disappointment that instead of filing an election petition as per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Gandhi has chosen to make baseless allegations and threaten a constitutional body. The Election Commission has dismissed Rahul's claims as baseless, stating that making such allegations just because the election result is not in your favor is absurd.