EC Rejects Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Chori’ Allegations in Karnataka’s Aland

New Delhi Chronicle Political Bureau

New Delhi | September 18 : The Election Commission of India (EC) on Wednesday dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of large-scale voter deletion in Aland Assembly constituency, calling them “incorrect and baseless.”

Gandhi had claimed that over 6,000 votes, mostly belonging to Dalits, OBCs, minorities, and other opposition-leaning communities, were removed through a centralised online process. He alleged that the “system was hijacked” and that he had “100% proof” of the malpractice.

The EC, however, clarified that no deletion of names from electoral rolls can be carried out online by the public and that any removal must follow due process, including notice and hearing to affected individuals. It added that while there were unsuccessful attempts to tamper with rolls in 2013, they were investigated through FIRs.

The Commission also pointed out that Aland has seen alternation in power, with BJP’s Subhash Guttedar winning in 2018 and Congress’s B R Patil in 2023, underscoring that elections have been conducted regularly in the constituency.

Gandhi’s charges raise political concerns over alleged disenfranchisement, but the EC maintains the integrity of the electoral process remains intact.