New Delhi [India], August 7 : Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday directly challenged the Election Commission of India (ECI), asking "Why don't you say it's wrong?" as he accused the poll body of "vote theft" in Karnataka's Mahadevapura Assembly constituency.
The poll panel, in turn, has asked the Congress leader to submit a signed copy of his complaint and all his objections to initiate necessary proceedings to investigate the matter.
"This is Election Commission data. Interestingly, they haven't denied the information. They haven't told the voter list that Rahul Gandhi is talking about is wrong. Why don't you say it's wrong? Because you know the truth. You know that we know that you have done this across the country," Rahul Gandhi said during a press conference.
Earlier during the conference, he claimed 2024 Lok Sabha elections were "choreographed" by the EC to benefit the BJP, which he said appeared "immune to anti-incumbency."
Citing internal analysis, Gandhi said the Congress expected to win 16 seats in Karnataka but ended up with only nine. He said the Congress investigated seven unexpected losses, zeroing in on Mahadevapura, where he alleged vote theft involving 1,00,250 votes.
Presenting Congress' research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes.
"Our internal polling told us we would win 16 seats in Karnataka; we won nine. We then focused on seven unexpected losses. We focused on Mahadevapur...All data is 2024 data from the Election Commission; the total votes polled in the Lok Sabha were 6.26 lakhs. The BJP won with 6,58,915, securing a margin of 32,707. But then we look at Mahadevapura, where Congress polls 1,15,586 and BJP polls 2,29,632. Congress wins all Vidhan Sabhas but this one," the Congress leader said.
"We found 1,00,250 votes stolen. Stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address, on a building with 50-60 people living. But when we go there, no record of those people living there. One family living in that house," he added.
Responding to the allegations, the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka wrote to the Lok Sabha LoP and called on him to submit a declaration under Rule 20(3)(b) of Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, along with the names of alleged duplicate voters to initiate proceedings.
"It is understood that during a Press Conference held today (August 7), you had mentioned about the inclusion of ineligible electors and exclusion of eligible electors in the Electoral Rolls cited at Para 3. You are kindly requested to sign and return the enclosed Declaration/Oath under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, along with the name(s) of such elector(s) so that necessary proceedings can be initiated," the Karnataka CEO said.
"As you are aware, the electoral rolls are prepared in a transparent manner, as per the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 and the instructions issued by the Election Commission of India from time to time," the state's CEO added.
Rule 20 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 pertains to the inquiry into claims and objections. Subsection 3 (b) mentioned that, according to the discretion of the registration officer, the claimant can be required to submit evidence under oath.
The letter has also rubbished the claim of Congress not being provided with electoral rolls, saying that the party was provided with the rolls in November 2024 and January 2025; however, at no point were any appeals filed by the party objecting to the rolls.
"As far as the conduct of elections is concerned, election results can be questioned only by way of an Election petition before the High Court," the CEO's letter added, while asking him to submit his objections under oath, which was shared in the letter itself.