Rahul Gandhi has intensified his criticism of the Election Commission of India (ECI), demanding greater transparency and the release of digital voter rolls. He has launched a website, "Vote Chori," to rally public support for his allegations of large-scale poll rigging and to push for his demand. Gandhi claims the ECI colluded with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to manipulate voter lists and rig the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Gandhi's allegations center around the claim that the ECI deliberately provided non-machine-readable electoral rolls and that there was widespread voter fraud, including duplicate voters, fake addresses, and bulk registrations at single locations. He specifically cited a constituency in Karnataka where he alleges 100,250 votes were stolen. He argues that these irregularities helped the BJP win the Lok Sabha seat.
The "Vote Chori" website serves as a platform for citizens to register their support for Gandhi's demand for digital voter rolls and to access what the Congress party claims is proof of electoral fraud. Visitors to the portal can register to receive a personalized certificate declaring their opposition to "vote chori" and stating their support for Rahul Gandhi's demand for digital voter rolls from the ECI. The website also allows users to download "vote chori proof, demand EC accountability and report vote chori".
The ECI has strongly refuted Gandhi's claims, calling them misleading. The Commission insists that its websites remain fully operational and that voter rolls are publicly accessible. The ECI has challenged Gandhi to either provide a signed declaration, under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, to substantiate his claims or apologize to the nation for making "fake" charges. The poll body argues that if Gandhi believes his analysis is true, he should have no problem signing the declaration and submitting the names of wrongfully added or removed voters.
Gandhi has responded by stating that he has already taken an oath to uphold the Constitution inside the Parliament. He argues that the ECI should address the data he has released, which he claims proves the "vote theft". He has accused the ECI of shutting down its website in response to his data.
The BJP has also criticized Gandhi's allegations, with Amit Malviya accusing him of "political theatre" to "obfuscate facts, plant doubts in people's minds, and tarnish the image of a constitutional body entrusted with free and fair elections".
This is not the first time Gandhi has attacked the ECI. He has previously criticized the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), but his claims have not been substantiated in court. Some observers suggest that Gandhi's allegations may inadvertently bolster the case for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, a process aimed at cleaning up electoral rolls.
The standoff between Rahul Gandhi and the ECI highlights the ongoing debate about the integrity of the electoral process in India. Gandhi's demand for transparent digital voter rolls reflects a broader call for greater accountability and public access to electoral data. The ECI's insistence on a signed declaration underscores the importance of substantiating allegations of electoral fraud with concrete evidence.
