Speaking at the annual Legal Conclave in New Delhi, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of enabling large-scale voter list manipulation. Addressing over 1,500 delegates, including legal professionals and senior Congress leaders, Gandhi claimed his party has “conclusive evidence” of electoral fraud, stating that the ECI “has disappeared” and no longer functions independently. He revealed that Congress conducted a six-month investigation into booth-wise voter lists, manually comparing over 6.5 lakh entries and uncovering 1.5 lakh fake names and photographs. He criticized the ECI for providing paper lists that were deliberately made unscannable and uncopyable, raising questions about transparency.
Gandhi said his suspicions about election integrity date back to 2014, particularly after the unexpected defeat of Congress and its allies in Maharashtra despite a strong Lok Sabha showing. He cited irregularities in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, but emphasized that only recently did the party gather hard documentation. Calling the manipulation “treason,” he warned those responsible, “We will find you.” He urged the legal community to defend the constitutional framework, which he said is being systematically dismantled. His remarks come amid growing scrutiny over voter list revisions in Bihar and alleged irregularities in Karnataka and Maharashtra.