&w=3840&q=100)
The tale of Minta Devi, the ‘124-year-old' who has become the face of opposition's protest at Parliament
Opposition MPs caught plenty of attention as they staged a protest with matching white T-shirts printed with the face of a woman named 'Minta Devi'. On the back, the shirts carried the words '124, Not Out' in bold.
Several Opposition leaders, including Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, joined the protest at the Parliament complex on Tuesday, which targeted what they allege is 'voter theft' linked to Election Commission's (EC) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Minta Devi's photograph, first shown by Rahul Gandhi during a presentation on alleged voter list manipulation, has quickly become a rallying image in the Opposition's campaign.
So, who is Minta Devi? What is her connection with the Opposition's voter fraud allegations? Here's a closer look at the story
Who is Minta Devi?
According to Election Commission records, Minta Devi is listed as a 124-year-old first-time voter in Bihar's Daraundha Assembly seat, under the Siwan Lok Sabha constituency. Her polling station is recorded as the Kanya Utkramit Madhya Vidyalaya in Arjaanipur.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other INDIA bloc members protest at the Parliament complex, wearing t-shirts that read '124 NOT OUT' after a voter, Minta Devi, allegedly listed as a 124-year-old, was seen on the electoral roll. (Instagram/ @incindia)
Her name surfaced in political debates soon after the EC completed its SIR of electoral rolls in the poll-bound state. Rahul Gandhi cited her case as part of what he alleges is a 'fake' draft voter list, saying the Opposition's T-shirts were worn to expose such irregularities.
Congress MP KC Venugopal took a sharp dig at the EC, saying, 'The Election Commission has done a great service to humankind. They discovered the oldest living human, Minta Devi, whose age is listed as 124 years in the Bihar SIR. The mega voter fraud done by the EC can never be allowed. INDIA will keep protesting until it is stopped.'
Congress leader Pawan Khera also joined and wrote on social media, 'We proudly nominate Minta Devi for the Guinness World Record: the youngest looking oldest human in India – courtesy the several miracles of ECI.'
#WATCH | Delhi: INDIA bloc leaders continue to protest over the alleged voter fraud and SIR issues. MPs were seen wearing T-shirts featuring the name Minta Devi, a voter allegedly listed as 124 years old in the Election Commission's voter list. pic.twitter.com/LVhS3I5CZJ — ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2025
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
For context, the BBC recently reported that the world's oldest living person is Ethel Caterham of Surrey, England, who is 115 years old. In the EC records, Minta Devi's birth date is July 15, 1900, making her nine years older than Caterham.
'This isn't just a clerical error- it's proof of mega voter fraud. INDIA will keep protesting until this is stopped,' said Congress MP Manickam Tagore.
NDTV had reported that it had traced Minta Devi in Bihar and found she had mistakenly written 1900 instead of 1990 as her year of birth on her voter registration form. That means, she is not 124 years old but 35.
Minta Devi. Age 124. Born 1900. Still voting in Modi's 'New India'. This isn't an election — it's a séance.#InternationalYouthDay2025
Minta Devi#ChunaavChori #VoteChori Assam pic.twitter.com/pNBBTQbQvu — 𝘼𝙢𝙞𝙩 (@AmitYji127) August 12, 2025
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
At the Parliament protest asked about Minta Devi, Rahul replied: 'Picture abhi baaki hai (There is more to come).'
While a poll body official told NDTV that her age was changed due to an error in her application form, there was no clear explanation for how such an error could survive an exercise meant to clean up the rolls.
Opposition protests 'voter fraud' in Bihar
Opposition MPs have stepped up their agitation against the revision of Bihar's electoral rolls, accusing the EC of carrying out 'vote chori' to 'disenfranchise voters' ahead of the state assembly elections later this year.
The protest, staged in front of Parliament's Makar Dwar, saw participation from senior Opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Derek O'Brien, TR Baalu, Mahua Moitra, and Supriya Sule. The leaders say the SIR of the voter list is riddled with irregularities.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
According to the Election Commission, a voter named Minta Devi is aged 124 years!
The INDIA bloc MPS wore 'Minta Devi' t-shirts and protested against #VoteChori pic.twitter.com/1UonY3gx7W — INC Andhra Pradesh (@INC_Andhra) August 12, 2025
The Election Commission has rejected these allegations, arguing that the revision is necessary because the SIR has not been conducted regularly since 2004. According to poll body officials, many 'non-eligible persons' have obtained voter cards over the years, and some people, knowingly or unknowingly, hold multiple voter IDs from different constituencies.
So far, the Commission has received 10,570 forms from individual electors seeking to add their names to the draft roll. The list remains open for claims and objections from the public and political parties until September 1.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The dispute has spilled over into Parliament. On Monday, proceedings were disrupted as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and several other INDIA bloc MPs were detained during a march from Parliament to the Election Commission's office.
Since the Monsoon session began on July 21, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have struggled to carry out normal business, with the SIR row and discussions on Operation Sindoor dominating the agenda.
With input from agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
21 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Inside India's polls: flaws, fraud, and the battle to save democracy
Author SY Quraishi dwells on the Model Code of Conduct and other aspects of holding elections, including the role of exit polls, media and hate speech Aditi Phadnis An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian Election by S Y Quraishi Published by Rupa Publications 499 pages, ₹695 The first edition of this book came out several years ago. The author, who served as India's 17th Election Commissioner (2010-2012), has revisited some of the central problems, revised and updated the volume and has added to it, bringing it up to date to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The pages are replete with anecdotes, case studies and analyses. The book is divided into 16 chapters like Engaging Youth: Converting Subjects into Citizens, Secure Elections, Safer Democracy, Voter Education towards Peoples' Participation and Money Power in Elections. The powers of the Election Commission and commissioners are also discussed, making it all the more relevant as it comes in the midst of several current controversies around Indian elections: Duplication of voters; the Special Intensive Revision; the role of the Supreme Court in the conduct of polls; and the powers of the Election Commission of India (ECI). The SIR and the agitation against it by the Opposition parties — Chunaav Aayog (Election Commission) cannot be Churao Aayog (Theft Commission), per Congress MP in the Rajya Sabha, Jairam Ramesh — amid the cacophony that elections have been 'stolen' has its origins in two issues. One, obviously the Election Commission is the only agency that has the power to order revision of electoral rolls. But what document will decide who an Indian citizen is? And, second, when reports pour in from all across India that people with the same names are registered as voters in more than one voting booth, does the de-duplication effort of the ECI even have any meaning? Mr Quraishi touches on these issues. But the irony is palpable. He reports that a team of six polling personnel had to be dispatched to a village that had only one eligible voter because the right to vote of even one voter could not be denied. The book is rich with detail about how polling teams are sent to the remotest corners of the country from snow-capped mountain villages to desert areas. The teams often have to trek for several days to reach the polling booths and use all modes of transport like bullock-carts, camels or sometimes even elephants. And yet, the same system allows dead people to vote and enables the same person to vote, sometimes 15 times. With the looming challenge of the ongoing census, revision of electoral rolls and eventually, delimitation of constituencies, these could become issues that have the potential of questioning the Election Commission's authority and legitimacy. Mr Quraishi dwells on the Model Code of Conduct and other aspects of holding elections, including the role of exit polls, media and hate speech. He writes: 'The 2024 election, unfortunately, may also go down in history as the election of hate speech. The number of instances of hate speech against minority communities in 2023 and in 2024 reflects the desire of the ruling dispensation to divide the electorate and push the party's sectarian ideology'. There is a big section on 'paid news' and the media. However, the rising tide of influencers on channels such as YouTube, deployment of artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality have the potential of turning communication channels like WhatsApp into a thing of the past and totally reinventing the paid news concept. These concerns do figure in the book but it will take another one to probe the full extent of the problem. Mr Quraishi quotes a study by the Tech Global Institute that found that 85 per cent of the political content posted by Indian influencers across various platforms failed to disclose its sponsorship, undermining transparency and accountability during elections. There's an interesting chapter on money power in elections that has a checklist of the modus operandi of illegal expenses during elections. The items range from envelopes of cash hidden inside newspapers and slipped beneath the electors' door to cash transferred via RTGS to electors' account, to cash given to rivals/ competitors to 'throw' the election. Mr Quraishi also talks about the practicality of simultaneous elections. While conceding that expenditure incurred on frequent polls, policy paralysis as the Model Code of Conduct kicks in, and the delivery of essential services impacted by the deployment of officials on election duty are concerns, he says it is not a feasible option — constitutional and legal reasons come in the way. The bottom line is: 'How can we dissolve state assemblies when they are democratically chosen by the people'. This book comes at a time when the ECI is in the vortex of unprecedented legal and political challenges. The value of the book lies in its ability to clearly and succinctly — and bravely — explain central issues, including the controversies surrounding the men who are appointed to the top posts in ECI. For anyone who wants to understand elections in India, warts and all, this is a go-to work, a labour of love.
India.com
21 minutes ago
- India.com
Asim Munir, Yunus, Pannun...: How US is laying a trap to encircle India on all sides; experts say New Delhi paying the price for...
(File) India-US relations have hit their lowest point in the last two decades, especially since US President Donald Trump began his newfound tryst with Pakistan, spewed anti-India rhetoric, and ultimately imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods. However, experts believe that the seemingly radical shift in US' stance against India is not sudden, but has been simmering for years since the previous Biden administration, as Washington is reportedly upset with New Delhi for not taking an aggressive stance against China, which is what the US wanted. What was US' plan for India? According to US strategic experts, Washington had plans to prop up India as a regional proxy against China, but New Delhi strategically avoided landing in such as situation in view of its geographical, economic and strategic constraints. New Delhi believes fighting a direct war would cause long-term economic loss, and avoided confrontation with Beijing, a policy which reportedly frustrated the Biden administration, who wanted the QUAD alliance of India, US, Japan, and Australia, to become a bulwark against China, says American geo-strategist Rust Kohle. However, India did not fall into the US trap and always refrained from positing the QUAD as a military alliance akin to the US-led NATO, he said. Kohle revealed that in 2024, the Biden administration decided that the US will not help India's development if New Delhi doesn't stand against China, and the Trump administration has taken that policy to a whole another level by essentially downgrading India-US relations. Why US wanted to pit India against China? Notably, all four QUAD members have their own issues with China. Japan has territorial disputes in the East China Sea and conflict with China over sea routes, while Australia's problems are related to trade, investment and political interference. The US wants to maintain its military dominance in the Indo-Pacific and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and Taiwan, while India's issues with Beijing are multifaceted as the two countries share borders. However, none of the QUAD nations are ready to open a joint, aggressive front against China, with Australia, Japan, and US wanting to pit India against Beijing without openly siding with New Delhi. There is a broad consensus among Indian and American strategic experts that New Delhi is paying for not towing the US' line as Washington is now exacting 'vengeance' by surrounding India with hostile forces from all sides, including support for Khalistani Sikh separatists like Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an anti-India regime led by Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh, and building closer ties with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir. How India can prepare for eventual face-off with US and China? Analysts believe that India needs to achieve self-reliance in defense manufacturing if it hopes to confront two superpowers like US and China in the near future. 'India's biggest challenge is to avoid confrontation with both US and China, but at the same time maintain its strategic autonomy. New Delhi needs a new, more careful method to implement its 'multi-alignment' policy,' says Dr. Manan Dwivedi, Professor, Indian Institute of Public Administration. Meanwhile, renowned Indian geo-strategist Dr. Brahma Chellaney has raised questions about the future of QUAD, saying that it seems highly unlikely that US President Donald Trump would visit India for the QUAD summit later this year. Experts believe that an open confrontation with China can take a toll on India's economy, border security and regional relations, while distancing itself from the US will have a profound impact on the country's technology, defense and investment. Thus, experts suggest that India needs to walk a fine line to maintain strategic yet cautious ties with both Beijing and Washington, while avoiding a complete alliance with either country.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
State Congress gears up to hit the streets against SIR
1 2 Ranchi: Jharkhand Congress is gearing up to hit the streets against the special intensive revision (SIR) in Bihar, which has snowballed a major political controversy across the country. Election Commission of India (ECI) is also set to pan out SIR drive in other states gradually. On Thursday, state Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh will roll out an LED van to create awareness against SIR as part of the party's nationwide drive. In the evening, the party has announced a candle march from the Congress office to Albert Ekka Chowk. On Wednesday, party's Jharkhand affairs in-charge K Raju reached Ranchi to take stock of the preparations. Later, he also headed to Nemra in Ramgarh to call upon chief minister Hemant Soren, who is currently camping there for shradh rituals of his father Shibu Soren, who passed away on Aug 4. State Congress media in-charge Rakesh Sinha said that as part of the AICC's decision against SIR, three tier campaign will be rolled out nationally. "Jharkhand too has worked out an extensive plan to make it a grand success," he said, adding that on Thursday, candlelight marches will be organised in all district headquarters which will be attended by senior leaders, MPs, MLAs, among others. "From Aug 22 to Sep 7 state-level rallies will be held in Ranchi and other key locations in Jharkhand," he said. Thereafter, between Sep 15 and Oct 15, door-to-door public outreach campaign will be conducted to collect 50 million signatures against 'SIR'. "District, block, and mandal-level party officials will lead this campaign in their respective areas, ensuring participation from the general public, community leaders, professionals, and local influencers," he said, adding that their campaign is more than a political programme to protect the Constitution and safeguard Indian democracy. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
