ECI Denies Voter List Fraud Allegations, Calls Rahul Gandhi’s Claims “False and Misleading”
New Delhi, Aug 13 (TheTrendingPeople.com) — The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly rejected allegations by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who accused the body of enabling large-scale voter list manipulation. Calling the claims “false and misleading,” the ECI defended the integrity of India’s electoral rolls and challenged accusers to provide evidence under oath.
Rahul Gandhi’s campaign, launched via the portal votechori.in and supported by a missed-call outreach, alleges that fake and duplicate voter entries have been used to influence results in key constituencies. The Congress party says its analysis found “serious discrepancies” in the voter list for Mahadevapura, Karnataka, based on publicly available data.
ECI: Rolls Prepared ‘Strictly by Law’
In its statement, the ECI emphasised that all corrections, deletions, or additions to the rolls are governed by the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. No one, the Commission stressed, can arbitrarily remove a name without due process and material proof.
While Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) may investigate based on credible inputs, the Commission said mass notices cannot be issued purely on allegations from media or social platforms, warning such actions could harass thousands of legitimate voters.
Evidence Under Oath Required
Citing Rule 20(3)(b), the ECI reminded that anyone alleging wrongful inclusion must submit evidence under oath. “This legal safeguard protects voters from politically motivated interference,” the statement read.
The Commission’s challenge to critics was clear: formally present your evidence with a signed declaration or withdraw unverified claims.
High-Stakes Political Battle
With national elections approaching, the dispute over voter list transparency has escalated into a high-stakes confrontation between institutional authority and political activism. Gandhi has framed the issue as a fight for the democratic principle of “one person, one vote,” while the ECI insists it is safeguarding electoral integrity.
“The Election Commission was, is, and will always stand with each eligible elector,” the statement concluded.