Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 7: In a fiery press conference held at the Congress headquarters on Thursday, Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a stinging critique of the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that it has been actively aiding the BJP in manipulating electoral outcomes and undermining Indian democracy.
Accusing the ECI of playing a partisan role, Gandhi said, “The Election Commission is no longer neutral — it's working hand in glove with the BJP to subvert democracy from within.”
Questions Over Voter Roll Integrity
Raising sharp concerns over voter data, Gandhi questioned the reliability of electoral rolls and the overall transparency of the voting process. “Are the right people being allowed to vote? Is the voter list even accurate anymore? There’s growing public distrust, and it’s not without reason,” he remarked.
He cited discrepancies between internal party surveys, opinion polls, and final results — especially in states like Haryana and Madhya Pradesh — suggesting that the outcomes appeared “manufactured.”
Suspicious Turnout Patterns and Voter Surges
Gandhi also expressed alarm over what he called "mysterious surges" in voter turnout after 5 PM in several constituencies. “In Maharashtra, there were no queues at polling booths, yet numbers shot up dramatically after hours. How is that possible?” he asked.
He further pointed to a sharp rise in registered voters between the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent Maharashtra Assembly elections, noting, “One crore new voters were added in just five months — more than what was added in five years. That defies logic.”
"EC Destroying Evidence, Blocking Access"
The Congress leader accused the ECI of deliberately avoiding scrutiny, stating that it had refused to provide digital access to voter rolls, withheld CCTV footage from polling stations, and created barriers to transparency.
“If you want to study the data, you need digital copies — but the EC refuses to share them. What are they trying to hide?” he said. “This isn't just negligence. It's a systematic effort to prevent accountability.”
“Modi Only Needed 25 Seats to Hold Power”
Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi “a PM with just a 25-seat majority,” Gandhi argued that a small shift in parliamentary seats was enough to swing power — making the integrity of every seat critical.
“He only needed to steal 25 seats to stay in power. That’s what this is about — and that’s why the Election Commission is protecting the truth instead of the Constitution,” he charged.
Rahul Gandhi’s press conference marks one of the most direct attacks on the Election Commission by a senior political leader in recent memory, setting the stage for what could be a prolonged battle over electoral credibility and democratic processes in the country.