'Hydrogen Bomb' Or 'Phuljhari'? Rahul Gandhi Renews 'Vote Theft' Charge; Poll Body, BJP Push Back

Last Updated:September 18, 2025, 17:41 IST

Rahul Gandhi alleged that in the 2023 Karnataka elections, over 6,000 names were nearly deleted from the electoral rolls via impersonation and software‑driven manipulation

Rahul reiterated his demand that the ECI publish consolidated, machine‑readable voter rolls for all recent elections (both Lok Sabha and state assembly), release post‑5 pm CCTV footage from polling booths, and share all digital and forensic data, including the IP addresses and OTP trails, that the Karnataka CID had been requesting. (File image: PTI)

Congress lawmaker and leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday held a press conference to once more raise serious allegations of voter list manipulation.

The Congress leader this time specifically targeted the Aland assembly constituency in Karnataka.

Rahul’s latest charge

Gandhi claimed that in the 2023 Karnataka elections, over 6,000 names—6,018 to be precise—were nearly deleted from the electoral rolls via impersonation and software‑driven manipulation. He alleged that fake applications were submitted using mobile numbers from outside Karnataka and that many of those whose names were deleted had no knowledge of the submissions. He described the deletion attempts as part of a “centralised operation" rather than isolated errors, asserting that booths where Congress was traditionally strong had been disproportionately targeted. 

The Congress leader also accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of shielding “vote chors" (vote thieves) and “those who have destroyed democracy", saying that requests made by the Karnataka CID over 18 months—to get information such as IP addresses and OTP trails—had been ignored. Gandhi emphasised that he was speaking only from evidence, or at least what he described as “solid proof," while also demanding that the Election Commission release all relevant data within a week.

Incorrect and baseless: ECI

Shortly after, the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a rebuttal to Gandhi’s claims, calling them “incorrect and baseless". The commission asserted that no deletion of any vote or elector can be done online by any member of the public, contrary to what Gandhi claimed. It also observed that no name can be removed without giving the affected person an opportunity to be heard, as required by law.

While acknowledging that in 2023 there had been “unsuccessful attempts" to delete electors in Aland, the poll panel said these were flagged, and even an FIR was filed by ECI authorities to investigate. The commission further pointed out that Aland was won in 2018 by BJP candidate Subhadh Guttedar and in 2023 by Congress candidate BR Patil, which, they implied, undermines the claim that manipulation altered the outcome.

Rahul alleges evasion by poll body

Rahul Gandhi, however, did not accept the ECI’s rebuttal as sufficient. In his follow‑up on that same day, he sharply reacted to what he called the poll body’s “unsigned, evasive notes". He insisted that a constitutional body like the ECI should respond in proper, signed responses rather than through press statements or via intermediaries. He reiterated his demand that the ECI publish consolidated, machine‑readable voter rolls for all recent elections (both Lok Sabha and state assembly), release post‑5 pm CCTV footage from polling booths, and share all digital and forensic data, including the IP addresses and OTP trails, that the Karnataka CID had been requesting. 

Gandhi said that evasion will not protect the ECI’s credibility, but telling the truth will. He proclaimed that these are not political theatrics but necessary in order to protect democracy and the constitutional right to vote.

Formally produce evidence: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has responded swiftly and critically. Its leaders dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s allegations as frustration born out of repeated electoral defeats. BJP MP Anurag Thakur described Rahul’s press conference as a “phuljhari" (sparkler) rather than a so-called “Hydrogen bomb", suggesting the claims backfired on him. Thakur accused Gandhi of habitually making allegations without following due process, especially not filing declarations or affidavits under the law when asked. Union home minister Amit Shah went further, calling the narrative false and mocking the Congress leader’s “Save Intruders March" (“Ghuspaithiya Bachao Yatra"), implying the Congress was peddling a storyline favourable to illegal or migrant entries rather than focusing on governance. 

BJP representatives also accused Gandhi of undermining constitutional institutions. They argued that this kind of attack on the ECI without legally verifiable evidence damages public trust in electoral bodies. They said that if Gandhi had solid evidence, he should present it formally rather than through media shows.

News politics 'Hydrogen Bomb' Or 'Phuljhari'? Rahul Gandhi Renews 'Vote Theft' Charge; Poll Body, BJP Push Back

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