On September 18, 2025, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, speaking at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of orchestrating voter fraud. He presented evidence of 6,000 voter names allegedly deleted from Karnataka’s Aland Assembly constituency, a Congress stronghold, before the 2023 state elections. Gandhi claimed Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is blocking investigations by withholding key data.
Gandhi shared proof of 6,018 fake Form 7 deletion requests targeting Congress supporters, especially Dalits, minorities, OBCs, and Adivasis. He highlighted cases like Godabai, whose identity was misused for 12 deletion forms, and Suryakant, who filed 12 forms in 14 minutes, suggesting automated software. Some applications were processed in just 36 seconds, linked to non-local phone numbers. Two witnesses—a voter targeted for deletion and another whose identity was misused—confirmed the fraud.
He noted the Karnataka CID’s probe has been stalled for 18 months due to the ECI’s refusal to share digital records like IP addresses. Gandhi alleged similar fraud in Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar’s recent voter roll updates. He called it a “massive threat” to democracy and demanded transparent voter list checks and strict penalties. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra termed it a “planned conspiracy” to rig elections.
ECI and BJP Respond
The ECI rejected Gandhi’s claims as “false,” stating Form 7 deletions require verification by Booth Level Officers, ruling out mass fraud. It said Aland’s deletions were lawful and accused Gandhi of spreading misinformation. The BJP called it a desperate tactic, while CPI MP P. Sandosh Kumar urged the ECI to clarify.
This follows Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra and claims of vote tampering in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura in 2024. With Bihar elections nearing, the row fuels concerns over fair polls.
