In recent news, Gurkirat Singh Dang has become a central figure in a controversy surrounding alleged voter fraud, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claiming that Dang is registered in four different polling booths. Gandhi presented this as evidence of widespread electoral malpractice in the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency, specifically within the Mahadevapura Assembly segment.
According to Gandhi, an investigation by the Congress party revealed over 100,000 suspicious or fraudulent entries in the Mahadevapura voter list. These entries allegedly fall into five categories: duplicate voters, fake or invalid addresses, bulk voter registrations at a single address, invalid or indistinguishable photos, and misuse of Form 6, which is meant for first-time voters. Gandhi highlighted Dang's case as an example of duplicate voters, asserting that Dang's name appears in four different polling booths within the Mahadevapura constituency. He also presented the case of Aditya Srivastava, who was allegedly registered as a voter in multiple booths across Mahadevapura, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, Gandhi pointed to instances of numerous voters registered at single addresses, including a commercial establishment.
In response to these allegations, BJP leader Aravind Limbavali has refuted Gandhi's claims, stating that they are "invalid," "baseless," and "immature". Limbavali explained that Gurkirat Singh Dang had applied to be added to the voter list but his application was rejected multiple times due to errors. Limbavali claims Dang later applied for deletion from all booths except the correct one and only voted in one place. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT Cell, has strongly criticized Rahul Gandhi's claims, labeling him a liar after Dang denied voting multiple times.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has also responded to Gandhi's accusations, deeming them "misleading". The ECI has requested evidence from Gandhi to support his claims of electoral roll manipulation. Despite the ECI's request for proof, the names of voters with multiple EPIC (Electoral Photo Identity Card) numbers, including Gurkirat Singh Dang, were still visible on the ECI's website. The ECI maintains that the law ensures "one person one vote" and has asked for evidence if anyone has proof of a person actually voting in multiple elections.
Amidst the political back-and-forth, questions remain about the accuracy and integrity of voter rolls. The Mahadevapura case study has brought to light potential discrepancies and irregularities in the electoral process, prompting further scrutiny and investigation. While Rahul Gandhi alleges a large-scale conspiracy involving the ECI and the BJP to manipulate election results, the BJP accuses the Congress of making baseless allegations and undermining the democratic process. The ECI has also refuted some of Gandhi's claims, such as the allegation that a 70-year-old woman was registered as a first-time voter twice, stating that preliminary investigations found she only voted once.
