The Indian National Congress has recently raised concerns regarding alleged voter list fraud in Bengaluru, particularly focusing on the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency. News18 and other media outlets have been on the ground, investigating these claims to ascertain their validity.
Congress' Allegations
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has made serious accusations, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in collusion with the Election Commission (EC), manipulated voter lists to steal the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Gandhi claims to possess "100 percent proof" of voter fraud, particularly within the Mahadevapura constituency. He stated that approximately one lakh votes were "stolen" through various methods, including duplicate voters, fake or invalid addresses, bulk registrations at single addresses linked to BJP leaders, missing or unclear photographs, and suspicious use of Form 6, which is meant for first-time voters. Gandhi also accused the EC of preventing public scrutiny by closing state voter list websites in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar. Furthermore, he alleges the EC is hiding evidence by denying access to electronic data and polling videos, and that the law was changed to mandate the erasure of videos after 45 days. The Karnataka state election commission has asked Gandhi to submit a signed affidavit of his allegations and questioned why the Congress had not lodged a complaint.
Ground Reality Checks
Following these allegations, various news outlets have conducted ground checks to investigate the claims. India Today, for example, focused on Booth No. 470 in Mahadevapura, specifically House No. 35 in Muni Reddy Garden, which Gandhi claimed had nearly 80 voters fraudulently registered. The current occupant, a food delivery worker from West Bengal who moved in a month ago, denied any connection to these voters. The property owner admitted that many former tenants still return to vote at the address.
Past Incidents and Context
This is not the first time that concerns about voter list irregularities have surfaced in Bengaluru. In 2022, a controversy erupted over the city municipal corporation, BBMP, assigning a private firm called "Chilume Group" a contract to gather voter data in Mahadevapura and two other constituencies. The Congress alleged that the group was linked to BJP leaders and that the firm was awarded the contract as part of an exercise to manipulate voter lists through deletions and additions favoring the BJP. The BJP denied these allegations. An investigation was ordered, leading to arrests, but those arrested were later released. An inquiry at the time found no evidence of electoral fraud or manipulation.
Political Reactions and Implications
The Congress party is demanding fair and free elections in Karnataka and has expressed concerns that the state government or BBMP is attempting to cover up the issue. The BJP has stated its commitment to punishing any wrongdoers and has emphasized that political allegations are expected, especially with upcoming elections. Rahul Gandhi led a protest in Bengaluru against voter fraud.
Moving Forward
The allegations of voter list fraud are serious and have the potential to undermine the integrity of the electoral process. It remains to be seen what further investigations will reveal and what actions will be taken to address these concerns.
