New Delhi, August 9, 2025 — The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday issued a sharp rebuttal to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following his recent allegations of large-scale voter fraud in Karnataka. The Commission has challenged the former Congress president to either substantiate his claims with a signed declaration or issue a public apology for what it termed “absurd and baseless accusations.”
Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations
On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference in the national capital where he accused the ECI of “colluding” with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to manipulate results in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency during last year’s general elections.
Presenting what he called the findings of a 40-member Congress analysis team, Gandhi alleged irregularities in the electoral roll, including duplicate entries, fake addresses, forged photographs, and questionable Form 6 applications.
“Despite Congress leading in all other assembly segments within Bangalore Central, the BJP managed a disproportionate lead of 1.14 lakh votes in Mahadevapura — a margin that ultimately secured them the seat by 32,707 votes,” he claimed. “The Election Commission, by withholding machine-readable data, is complicit in this electoral theft.”
Election Commission Responds
In a strong response, the ECI dismissed the allegations as unfounded and issued a direct challenge to Gandhi: either sign a formal declaration under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, or publicly apologise to the nation.
“If Mr. Rahul Gandhi stands by his analysis and allegations against the Commission, he should have no hesitation in signing the declaration. If he fails to do so, it would imply a lack of faith in his own claims and warrant a public apology,” ECI sources said.
The Commission also criticised Gandhi for not signing previous correspondences, stating that past replies to Congress representatives were often disavowed by him personally. “For example, in the case of the Maharashtra voter list issue raised in December 2024, a response was duly provided to an advocate representing AICC. Yet, Mr. Gandhi later claimed no such reply was received,” the ECI clarified.
State Officials Seek Signed Affidavit
Following Gandhi’s press conference, several Chief Electoral Officers — including those from Karnataka and Maharashtra — formally wrote to him, requesting specific voter details along with a signed declaration, as per electoral regulations.
“You are kindly requested to sign and return the enclosed declaration/oath to enable us to initiate the appropriate proceedings,” read a letter from the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer.
Congress Responds
Responding to the ECI’s remarks, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra defended her brother’s claims and called for a full investigation.
“Rahul Gandhi has made serious revelations. If there are discrepancies — whether deliberate or accidental — they should be thoroughly investigated. Instead of addressing the substance of the claims, the BJP and ECI are focusing on procedural technicalities. The day will come when those who enabled this erosion of democracy will be held accountable,” she said.
The controversy continues to escalate, with the Congress party standing firm on its demand for electoral transparency and the ECI insisting on procedural compliance before any inquiry can proceed.
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