New Delhi, August 1: In a dramatic escalation of political confrontation, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday levelled serious allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), claiming it is directly complicit in what he described as “vote chori” (vote theft) in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Gandhi declared that the Congress party possesses “open and shut” proof of large-scale electoral manipulation evidence so powerful, he said, that it would “explode like an atom bomb” and leave the Election Commission with “no place to hide.”
Gandhi asserted that his party’s claims are not speculative or political rhetoric but based on detailed research and investigations conducted over the last six months. “I am saying this with 100 per cent proof,” Gandhi said. “The Election Commission is facilitating vote theft and it is doing so for the BJP. We have irrefutable evidence to back every word.”
The Congress leader’s explosive allegations come in the wake of growing concerns over irregularities in voter rolls and electoral practices across several states. He pointed to suspected anomalies during last year’s Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, followed by the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and claimed that manipulations were further evident in Maharashtra. According to Gandhi, large-scale voter list revisions were carried out, with crores of voters added in an unexplained and opaque manner. The Congress, he said, grew increasingly concerned when the EC failed to respond to early warnings, prompting the party to undertake an independent probe.
“What we have found is shocking,” Gandhi remarked. “It is nothing less than an atom bomb. Once this information is made public, the entire country will see the level of deceit and the extent to which institutions have been compromised.”
Gandhi also issued a stern warning to officials within the Election Commission, suggesting that those involved, irrespective of their rank or retirement status would be held accountable. “This is not just electoral fraud, this is an act of betrayal against India. It is treason. And those who have played a role, from top to bottom, should know they will not be spared,” he declared.
The allegations surfaced just hours after Gandhi, along with several Opposition leaders, submitted a joint memorandum to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, demanding an urgent discussion on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar. The Opposition has raised red flags over the timing and nature of the EC’s exercise, especially so close to the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. They contend that the SIR process could potentially disenfranchise large sections of the electorate under the guise of voter roll corrections.
Both Houses of Parliament have seen repeated protests by Opposition MPs demanding transparency and immediate discussion on the issue. They allege that the EC’s actions are politically motivated and are intended to influence the electoral outcome in Bihar.
As the political temperature rises, the Congress is expected to release what it claims is documentary proof in the coming days. If substantiated, the revelations could have serious implications for the integrity of India’s democratic institutions and may set off a renewed debate on the autonomy and accountability of the Election Commission. Until then, the nation waits to see what this “atom bomb” of evidence truly contains.