Rahul Gandhi Alleges Massive Electoral Fraud in Bengaluru, Sparks Controversy
Bengaluru, Karnataka – August 9, 2025
Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi ignited a political firestorm during a press conference in New Delhi on August 7, 2025, followed by a high-profile rally in Bengaluru on August 8, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of orchestrating large-scale voter fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters and later at the "Vote Adhikar Rally" at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, Gandhi claimed that over 100,250 votes were "stolen" in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura Assembly segment, part of the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency, describing it as a "crime against the Constitution."
Gandhi presented findings from a six-month Congress investigation, alleging that the voter rolls in Mahadevapura contained 11,965 duplicate voters, 40,009 voters with fake or invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters registered at single addresses, 4,132 voters with invalid photos, and 33,692 misuses of Form 6 for new voter enrollments. He claimed these discrepancies led to a BJP victory in Bangalore Central, where their candidate, P.C. Mohan, defeated Congress’s Mansoor Ali Khan by a narrow margin of 32,707 votes (6,58,915 to 6,26,208). Gandhi asserted that Congress won six of the seven assembly segments in the constituency but lost heavily in Mahadevapura by over 114,000 votes, pointing to this as evidence of systematic manipulation.
"This is an atom bomb on our democracy," Gandhi declared at the press conference, accusing the ECI of colluding with the BJP to undermine the electoral process. He demanded that the ECI release the complete electronic voter list and videography records for the entire country, warning that failure to do so would imply nationwide vote theft. At the Bengaluru rally, he reiterated, "We have proved 100% that the Election Commission and the BJP have committed theft of votes."
The ECI swiftly rebuked Gandhi’s claims, labeling them "misleading" and demanding that he sign a statutory declaration under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, to substantiate his allegations. Chief Electoral Officers from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh issued identical letters, noting that electoral rolls were shared with Congress during the 2024 Special Summary Revision and that no formal objections were raised at the time. The ECI warned that false declarations could lead to penalties under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act and Section 227 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer, V. Anbu Kumar, specifically requested Gandhi to provide details of ineligible or excluded electors by August 7 evening, offering a meeting slot on August 8 between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. for a Congress delegation to present evidence. Gandhi, however, dismissed the need for an affidavit, stating, "I have taken the oath inside Parliament and on the Constitution," and accused the ECI of destroying evidence like CCTV footage.
Congress leaders, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, backed Gandhi’s allegations. Siddaramaiah called the findings "precise evidence of systematic vote theft," while Kharge criticized the ECI for acting like a "representative of the ruling party" instead of addressing opposition concerns. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also questioned the ECI’s demand for an affidavit, arguing that the 30-day window for such petitions renders the request irrelevant.
The BJP hit back strongly, with Bangalore Central MP P.C. Mohan dismissing the claims as baseless. "Rahul Gandhi drops an atom bomb of allegations, but still can’t produce a single explosive proof," Mohan said, questioning why Congress did not file a legal challenge within the 45-day period allowed for election petitions. He attributed the BJP’s victory in Mahadevapura to strong Hindu voter support, rejecting accusations of manipulation. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis labeled Gandhi’s claims as a "conspiracy" to undermine constitutional institutions.
The "Vote Adhikar Rally" at Freedom Park, originally planned for August 5 but postponed to August 8 due to the passing of JMM leader Shibu Soren, saw significant turnout, with Congress framing it as a fight to "save democracy." Bengaluru Traffic Police issued advisories, restricting parking and traffic on key routes like M.G. Road, Cubbon Road, and Old Airport Road during the event.
The controversy has intensified debates over electoral integrity, with Congress alleging similar manipulations in Maharashtra and Haryana. As the ECI and Congress prepare for further discussions, the standoff remains a critical test of India’s electoral oversight and political accountability.
Sources: The Hindu, Times of India, News18, Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, ABP Live, posts on X
