The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday issued a strong rebuttal to allegations of “vote theft,” calling them a “false narrative” that amounts to a direct attack on Indian voters and an assault on the integrity of election staff.
Reasserting the principle of “One Person, One Vote,” in place since India’s first general election in 1951–52, the ECI challenged critics to provide concrete evidence. “If anyone has proof of a person voting twice in any election, it should be submitted to the ECI with a written affidavit, rather than branding all voters as ‘thieves’ without substantiation,” the poll body said.
The statement was issued in response to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s claim that over 1,00,250 “fake votes” were created in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura Assembly segment to ensure a BJP victory in the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency during the 2024 elections.
The ECI condemned the use of phrases like “Vote Chori,” stating such language maligns crores of voters and undermines the work of lakhs of election personnel.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Youth Congress workers staged a protest outside the ECI’s office, putting up banners labeling it the “vote chori commission.”
Rahul Gandhi has announced the launch of the “Voter Adhikar Yatra” from Bihar on August 17, aimed at opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In a post on X, he framed it as a nationwide movement to safeguard democracy, the Constitution, and the sanctity of the electoral process.
“This time, the defeat of vote thieves—victory of the people, victory of the Constitution,” Gandhi declared.