The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly countered recent claims made by Rahul Gandhi regarding voter fraud during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, specifically in Karnataka. The poll body has demanded that Gandhi provide concrete evidence to support his allegations or issue an apology for making what it deems "false" and "absurd" accusations.

Gandhi's allegations, made during a press conference on August 7, 2025, and at an INDIA bloc meeting, centered on the Mahadevapura assembly segment in Karnataka. He claimed that over 100,000 votes were "stolen" through duplicate entries, fake addresses, and bulk registrations at single addresses. Gandhi further alleged that the ECI was colluding with the BJP to manipulate the electoral process. He urged the EC to release digital voter rolls for public audit.

The ECI has refuted these claims, labeling them as a repetition of old, baseless charges. The commission has challenged Gandhi to either substantiate his accusations with formal verification or apologize to the nation for misleading the public. The ECI has also asked Gandhi to submit a formal declaration as per Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, pertaining to objections related to the electoral roll.

In response, Gandhi stated that he has already taken an oath to the Constitution in Parliament and questioned the timing of the ECI's demand for an affidavit. He also claimed that Election Commission websites in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar have been shut down.

The ECI has dismissed Gandhi's claims as an "absurd analysis" and has pointed out that there are established legal procedures for raising objections to the electoral roll. The commission has also cited a past instance from 2018 involving similar allegations by Kamal Nath, which were dismissed by the Supreme Court. The ECI stated that Gandhi is attempting to sensationalize the issue by making baseless claims in the media, rather than availing himself of the legal processes.

The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has sent a notice to Gandhi, requesting documents to support his claims that voters, such as one named Shakun Rani, voted twice. The CEO's notice emphasized the need for relevant documents to enable a detailed inquiry into the matter.

Meanwhile, the Congress party is planning a national strategy meeting on August 11 to address "voter list manipulation and election fraud". Karnataka's Congress unit is also preparing to file a complaint with the ECI regarding alleged voter list irregularities. Conversely, the BJP has called on Gandhi to submit a formal complaint or resign from the Lok Sabha if he lacks faith in the Election Commission.