Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of facilitating alleged vote theft during an INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi. He demanded accountability from the Election Commission leadership, calling for protection of democracy and the Constitution.
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a strong attack on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, warning that he would eventually be removed from office and face imprisonment over alleged electoral irregularities. Addressing a major INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, Gandhi accused the Election Commission leadership of facilitating what he described as “vote chori” and called for accountability to protect India’s democracy and Constitution.
The rally, organised under the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ campaign, brought together opposition leaders and supporters to demand the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The opposition parties have alleged that large numbers of eligible voters have been removed from electoral lists and questioned the functioning of the Election Commission.
Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi described the alleged vote theft as an extraordinary offence, saying it was not an ordinary case of stealing but involved taking away the democratic voice of citizens. He termed the alleged electoral manipulation a matter of the “rarest of rare” category in legal terms.
Accusing the Chief Election Commissioner of facilitating electoral manipulation through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the removal of names from voter lists, Gandhi claimed that approximately 13.5 crore names had been deleted from electoral rolls. He alleged that these actions benefited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Congress leader further claimed that the alleged manipulation amounted to an attack on the constitutional rights of Indian citizens. He warned that CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah would have to face consequences for their alleged role in undermining democratic institutions.
Referring to remarks by Amit Shah that Prime Minister Modi would remain in office, Gandhi said the opposition would continue its campaign until those responsible for the alleged electoral irregularities were held accountable. He also suggested that the allegations extended beyond the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to several Assembly elections.
Gandhi described the gathering at Ramlila Maidan as a collective expression of concern among young people, farmers, workers and ordinary citizens. He said the large turnout demonstrated that people were prepared to raise their voices against alleged electoral manipulation.
Emphasising the importance of constitutional values, the Leader of Opposition said no individual, regardless of political position, wealth or influence, could be considered greater than the Constitution. He maintained that the Constitution remained supreme and that protecting democratic institutions was a responsibility shared by citizens.
He also accused the BJP-led Union government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of exercising excessive influence over national institutions and government agencies. According to Gandhi, the alleged concentration of institutional power threatened democratic accountability and the independence of constitutional bodies.
The Congress leader said the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Chief Election Commissioner had collectively attacked the country’s democratic foundations through what he described as vote theft. He added that citizens did not want a society characterised by hatred, violence or control by a small group of wealthy individuals.
Reiterating his message of brotherhood and non-violence, Gandhi said he did not consider anyone his enemy. He once again invoked his political slogan, “Mohabbat Ki Dukan”, telling supporters that the message of love and harmony would soon return with renewed energy.
The INDIA bloc’s rally was part of its continuing campaign against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision exercise and the alleged deletion of voters’ names. Opposition parties have demanded the removal or resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, arguing that the electoral process must remain transparent and accountable.
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The Election Commission and the government, however, have defended the voter-roll revision exercise, maintaining that it is intended to identify and remove duplicate, deceased, shifted and otherwise ineligible entries. The opposition’s allegations of widespread irregularities remain contested.
The rally at Ramlila Maidan marked another major mobilisation by opposition parties over electoral transparency and the functioning of constitutional institutions. Through the demonstration, Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc leaders sought to highlight their demand for accountability and greater safeguards for voters’ democratic rights.
