Latest news with #MaharashtraAssemblyElections
India.com
07-08-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Rahul Gandhi Claims Voter Fraud In Karnataka, Maharashtra Polls; ECI Responds
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that massive electoral fraud occurred in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of Karnataka's Bangalore Central constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi presented the Congress party's research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka and alleged that 'vote chori' (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes took place in the assembly. 'We found 1,00,250 votes stolen. Stolen in five different ways: duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters registered at a single address, sometimes in a building with 50–60 people listed. But when we go there, there is no record of those people living there—only one family lives in that house,' Rahul Gandhi alleged. 'Invalid photos… Then the misuse of Form 6. Form 6 allows new people to become voters,' he added. Rahul Gandhi said that anti-incumbency affects every party, but results went in unexpected directions in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP was reportedly facing anti-incumbency. 'Anti-incumbency hits every single party in every democracy, but for some reason, the BJP is the only party that does not suffer from anti-incumbency. Exit polls and opinion polls say one thing, but you saw in the Haryana and MP elections—suddenly, the results go in another direction with a massive swing. This also includes our internal polling, which is sophisticated,' Gandhi said. Reiterating his claims on fake voters in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the number of voters added to the list in the five months ahead of the polls was more than the people added in the last five years. "Maharashtra, we weren't able to tell the logic behind it. In Maharashtra and Haryana, we saw it right in front of our faces. We said publicly and told EC, more voters were added in five months than in five years in Maharashtra. More voters than the entire population of Maharashtra. Huge jump in voter turnout after 5 pm. Our alliance got wiped out while the alliance swept in the Lok Sabha. At the state level, between Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, one crore voters came in," he alleged. Shortly after Rahul Gandhi's claim of poll irregularities, the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) responded with a strongly worded letter, asking him to sign an affidavit detailing his allegations about the addition and deletion of electors. Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka writes a letter to Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi. Says, "... It is understood that during a Press Conference held today, you had mentioned about the inclusion of ineligible electors and exclusion of eligible electors in the Electoral Rolls cited… — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2025 The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka wrote a letter to Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, stating, 'It is understood that during a press conference held today, you had mentioned the inclusion of ineligible electors and exclusion of eligible electors in the electoral rolls as cited in Para 3. You are kindly requested to sign and return the enclosed Declaration/Oath under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, along with the name(s) of such elector(s), so that necessary proceedings can be initiated.' Rahul Gandhi promptly responded to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer request, saying, 'What I say to the people is my word. I'm saying it publicly to everybody. Take it as an oath.' On the Election Commission's response, Rahul Gandhi said, 'I'm a politician. What I say to the people is my word. I'm saying it publicly to everybody. Take it as an oath. This is their data, and we are displaying their data. This is not our data. This is Election Commission data. Interestingly, they haven't denied the information. They haven't said that the voter list Rahul Gandhi is referring to is wrong. Why don't you say it is wrong? Because you know the truth. You know that we know you have done this across the country.'
News18
07-08-2025
- Politics
- News18
Rahul Gandhi Again Accuses Election Commission Over Fake Voters, Poll Body Responds
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday again attacked the Election Commission, alleging that the elections are "choreographed". Escalating his attack on the Election Commission of India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday again accused the poll watchdog of colluding with the BJP to rig the Lok Sabha elections in the country. Addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi alleged that fake people were being added to voter lists and attempted to validate his point by showing the Karnataka electoral rolls. However, responding to the Leader of Opposition's allegations, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) asked Rahul Gandhi to provide details of doubtful voters. Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Election Commission, alleging that the elections are 'choreographed" and presented Congress' research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka. The Congress leader alleged 'vote chori" (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes. Rahul Gandhi said that Congress won other seats while Mahadevapura was swept by the BJP. 'Elections are choreographed… Our internal polling told us we would win 16 seats in Karnataka; we won nine. We then focused on seven unexpected losses. We chose one Lok Sabha, and our team decided we could only focus on one Vidhan Sabha (seat). So we focused on Mahadevapur. Here is the broad math. All data is 2024 data from the Election Commission," Radhul Gandhi said. 'Total votes polled in the Lok Sabha were 6.26 lakhs. The BJP won with 6,58,915, securing a margin of 32,707. But then we look at Mahadevapura, where Congress polls 1,15,586 and BJP polls 2,29,632. Congress wins all Vidhan Sabhas but this one. This seat wins them the election." 'We found 1,00,250 votes stolen. Stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address. But when we go there, no record of those people living there. One family living in that house," the Leader of Opposition alleged. Rahul Gandhi Reiterates Claims On Maharashtra Polls Reiterating his claims on fake voters in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, he alleged that the number of voters added to the list in the five months ahead of the polls was more than the people added in the last five years. 'Maharashtra, we weren't able to tell the logic behind it. In Maharashtra and Haryana, we saw it right in front of our faces. We said publicly and told EC, more voters were added in five months than in five years in Maharashtra. More voters than the entire population of Maharashtra. Huge jump in voter turnout after 5 pm," Rahul Gandhi said. EC Responds Meanwhile, the poll body said that Rahul Gandhi is yet to respond to its June letter regarding his allegations of 'election rigging" in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. The EC said the Congress leader has not responded to an official invitation extended to him nearly two months ago. 'Why? Is it because his media statements were baseless?" ECI sources asked. In a letter dated June 12, the Election Commission had invited the Leader of the Opposition for an interaction regarding 'rigging" in Maharashtra Assembly elections, which he raised in a write-up that he wrote for a newspaper on June 7. He had claimed that the same would be repeated in the Bihar assembly polls due later this year. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 07, 2025, 15:23 IST News politics Rahul Gandhi Again Accuses Election Commission Over Fake Voters, Poll Body Responds Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
United News of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Rahul accuses BJP of trying to steal Bihar polls on the lines of Maha
Patna, July 9 (UNI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, holding aloft a copy of the Constitution, today alleged that the BJP was attempting to steal votes in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections as "they did in Maharashtra" in the name of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Congress leaders was addressing a gathering in a march that he led from the Income Tax roundabout to the Election Commission's ( EC) office. The march was stopped near the Shaheed Smarak during the dawn-to-duck Chakka Jam protest called by the opposition Grand Alliance (GA ) demanding immediate halt to the SIR. Rahul accused BJP of attempting to rig the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls "on the lines of what they did in Maharashtra." The Congress leader was seen holding a copy of the Indian Constitution while addressing the crowd. "Just like Maharashtra's election was stolen, now there is an attempt to steal the Bihar elections too'. He warned the people that "all attempts were being made by the BJP to steal votes in Bihar.' He said the BJP realised that the Opposition understood the "Maharashtra model", and now they have brought a new "Bihar model", a tactic to snatch away the votes of the poor. Accusing the EC of working to favour the BJP, Rahul said that instead of discharging its responsibility to protect the Constitution, the government was functioning like the offshoots of BJP and RSS. He warned EC that the law will not spare it if it failed to protect the Constitution and discharge its responsibilities towards the people of Bihar. Continuing his attack, Rahul said the EC was not an agent of any political party and its job was to uphold the Constitution of the country. Accusing the poll panel of being partial, Rahul alleged that it was a nominated election commissioner of BJP who was trying to snatch away the people's future and right, which the people will never tolerate. He said that earlier election commissioners used to be selected by every political party, but now they have been nominated by the BJP. Even the Chief Justice of India, who had shown his interest to attend the meeting for selecting the election commissioner, was not allowed to join the meeting. Rahul said after analysing the defeat of INDIA Alliance in Maharashtra Assembly Elections, he carefully analysed the data and found that BJP won in the constituencies wherever the strength of voters had increased by 10%. He said a perusal of data revealed that the strength of voters had astonishingly increased by 4 to 5 thousand within a month in Maharashtra. He alleged that despite his repeated demand, the EC declined to provide the voter list and videography to cover up the rigging, which "clearly indicates massive irregularities in the voters list during Maharashtra Assembly Elections". He said the Constitution has given each voter the right to exercise his franchise, which the EC was snatching away at the behest of BJP. UNI RS PRS
India.com
08-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Dhool Chehre Pe Thi...: CM Fadnaviss Subtle Yet Sharp Counter To Rahul Gandhis Rigged Polls Allegations
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations that the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections were "rigged" with a subtle yet sharp rebuke. Speaking to reporters in Pune, the CM in a poetic manner, said that the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has made the same mistake throughout his entire life. "Ta-umr Rahul Gandhi aap yahi galti karte rahe, dhool chehre pe thi aur aap aina saaf karte rahe (Throughout your life, Rahul Gandhi, you have always made the same mistake; The dust was on your face, but you kept cleaning the mirror)," CM Fadnavis said, speaking in Hindi. #WATCH | Pune | Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says, "'Ta-umr Rahul Gandhi aap yahi galti karte rahe, dhool chehre pe thi aur aap aina saaf karte rahe' (Throughout your life, Rahul Gandhi, you have always made the same mistake; The dust was on your face, but you… — ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2025 Earlier, he called the allegations "nonsense," a "lie," and "an insult to voters." "This means that Rahul Gandhi has accepted his defeat in Bihar. Till the time Rahul Gandhi comes to the ground and understands facts, lies to people, and gives false hopes to himself and his party, his party can never win," Fadnavis told reporters. "He will have to wake up and understand the reality. Otherwise, he will keep speaking nonsense, keep lying, and insulting voters... Neither does Rahul Gandhi understand what he's saying, nor do people understand what he's saying," he said. Rahul Gandhi's Allegations Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday, alleged that the Maharashtra Assembly Elections held in November 2024 were "rigged", and claimed that the same will be repeated in Bihar Assembly Polls that are due later this year. In a post on X, Gandhi addressed the Election Commission of India (EC) and asked to publish consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the most recent elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas of all states, including Maharashtra. "Dear EC, you are a Constitutional body. Releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions," he wrote. "If you have nothing to hide, answer the questions in my article and prove it by: • Publishing consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the most recent elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas of all states including Maharashtra • Releasing all post-5pm CCTV footage from Maharashtra polling booths." Dear EC, You are a Constitutional body. Releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions. If you have nothing to hide, answer the questions in my article and prove it by: • Publishing consolidated, digital, machine-readable… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 7, 2025 Maharashtra Assembly Polls 2024 The Maharashtra Assembly Election of 2024 witnessed a victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, securing a landslide win with 235 seats. The results marked a significant milestone for the saffron party, which emerged as the single-largest party with 132 seats.
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
EC hits back at Gandhi over allegations
The Election Commission of India on Tuesday rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of abnormal voter turnout in the last two hours of the assembly polls in Maharashtra, asserting the party did not flag any such abnormality during or after voting, even as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that Gandhi's remark on the poll body was an attempt to deflect attention from the National Herald case. The ECI response comes days after the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged at an event in the US on Sunday that the poll body is 'compromised'. The former Congress chief said that according to ECI data, more people voted in the November 20, 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections than there were adults in the state. 'The Election Commission gave us a voting figure for 5.30 pm, and between 5.30 pm and 7.30 pm, 65 lakh (6.5 million) voters voted. This is physically impossible. For a voter to vote, it takes approximately three minutes and, if you do the math, it would mean that there were lines of voters till 2 am but this did not happen,' Gandhi had said, while addressing the Indian diaspora at an event in Boston. Rejecting the claims, ECI underlined that 6.40 crore (64 million) electors who reached the polling stations from 7 am to 6 pm voted in the Maharashtra polls, which effectively meant about 58 lakh (5.8 million) votes were polled per hour on an hour. 'Going by these average trends, nearly 116 lakh (11.6 million) voters could have voted in the last two hours. Therefore, casting of 65 lakh (6.5 million) votes by electors in two hours is much below the average hourly voting trend,' ECI said in a statement. The Congress leader had also alleged that when they asked ECI for videos, the request was not only refused but also the law was changed. 'It is very clear to us that the Election Commission is compromised, and it is very clear that there is something wrong with the system. I have said this multiple times,' Gandhi had alleged. ECI officials rejected the claims, stating that at every polling booth, voting was conducted in the presence of polling agents formally appointed by candidates or political parties. 'Indian National Congress's nominated candidates or their authorised agents have not raised any substantiated allegations regarding abnormal voting during scrutiny before the Returning Officer and the Election Observers the next day,' an official said, requesting anonymity. According to ECI, after the finalisation of electoral rolls last year for the Maharashtra elections, out of 97.79 million electors, only 89 appeals were filed before the first appellate authority, the district magistrate, and only one was filed before the second appellate authority, the chief electoral officer. 'Therefore, it is amply clear that there was no grievance from the INC or any other political party before the conduct of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections in 2024,' ECI said. It added: 'Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections. After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised, is completely absurd.' Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli slammed Gandhi over his remarks on ECI, accusing the Congress lawmaker of attempting to divert attention from the National Herald case, in which Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a charge sheet naming Sonia and Rahul Gandhi as accused in connection with its ₹988-crore money laundering probe. 'Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the Election Commission and democracy in India and conduct of elections establish that the Congress is trying to divert attention from the National Herald case by attacking institutions,' Kohli alleged, while addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. Kohli said ECI has an impeccable record, and many, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have won elections. 'For their own political and personal reasons, the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress party are willing to attack even the institutions of India,' he added.
