India’s political landscape has been shaken after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the country's Election Commission of enabling what he called “vote theft” during the 2024 general elections.
His allegations, focused on Karnataka’s Mahadevapura constituency, point to alleged irregularities such as duplicate voter entries, fake addresses, mass registrations, and mismatched photographs.
Gandhi said his team spent six months gathering evidence, demanding not only transparency but also access to digital voter rolls and CCTV footage from polling stations.
The charges have unleashed a political firestorm. Gandhi carried his protest to the streets of New Delhi, where he and several opposition leaders were detained during a march to the ECI headquarters.
The ruling BJP and its allies swiftly countered, accusing Gandhi of trying to discredit India’s democratic institutions for political mileage. Some leaders even demanded that he embark on an “apology yatra” across the country.
During a discussion with Abigail Johnson Boakye on Qonversations, Indian Journalist Sumit Singh added his voice to call for transparency and a background to the political uproar.
The commission’s ultimatum
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has responded in unusually strong terms, branding Gandhi’s claims “baseless, absurd, and without merit.” Citing Rule 20(3)(b) of electoral law, the Commission has issued an ultimatum: Gandhi has seven days to either submit an affidavit with evidence or issue a public apology. Should he fail to comply, the Commission warned, his charges would be treated as null and void.
This sets up a critical standoff. With state elections, including Bihar’s, just months away, the dispute has elevated the issue of electoral credibility into the national spotlight.
For Gandhi, the choice ahead is fraught with risks:
- If he bends, he could protect himself from immediate legal trouble but risks looking weak in the eyes of his supporters, many of whom see him as one of the few voices willing to challenge entrenched systems of power.
- If he doubles down, he strengthens his image as a combative challenger but must present hard evidence, and without it, his credibility could take a serious and lasting hit.
