Rahul Gandhi Alleges Electoral Manipulation, Says EC ‘Compromised’
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has sparked fresh controversy by alleging that India’s Election Commission (EC) is “compromised” and that “something is very wrong with the system.” Speaking to the Indian diaspora in Boston on Sunday, Gandhi cited irregularities in the Maharashtra assembly elections as evidence of electoral malpractice.
Gandhi claimed that during the elections, 65 lakh new voters were added to the rolls within two hours—something he called “physically impossible.” He went further, stating that more people appeared to have voted than the total population of Maharashtra, which he described as a blatant anomaly. “The Election Commission gave us a figure at 5:30 p.m., and by 7:30 p.m., there were 65 lakh more voters. This cannot happen without manipulation,” he said.
These claims come just months after the January 2025 Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls. In response, the Election Commission dismissed the allegations as baseless, noting that only 89 formal appeals were filed in Maharashtra for corrections or inclusions in the rolls—a very low number given the state’s size.
The EC emphasized that the SSR is a routine and transparent process that includes the addition of new voters, the removal of duplicates, and the inclusion of those who have recently turned 18.
Rahul Gandhi’s comments have been sharply criticized by BJP leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis, who accused him of misleading the public and disrespecting democratic institutions.
