Rahul’s Yatra Fuels Voter Fraud Dispute
Rohtas/New Delhi: The ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, launched today by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi from Saura Aerodrome Ground in poll-bound Bihar’s Rohtas district, has escalated the ongoing dispute with the Election Commission of India (ECI) over alleged voter fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Accompanied by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav, Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI(ML)) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, the 16-day, 1,300-kilometer march through 25 Bihar districts protests the ECI’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, which the Opposition claims removed millions of legitimate voters. As the yatra advances from Sasaram toward Aurangabad, having covered Kutumba today, Gandhi faces an ECI deadline of August 24, 2025, to submit a signed affidavit substantiating his “vote chori” (vote theft) allegations or issue a public apology. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated, “Submit affidavit or apologise, no third option.” This confrontation, unfolding as Bihar nears its 2025 assembly elections, has deepened political divides, with the Congress party and its allies in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) accusing the ECI of bias, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismisses the claims as baseless.
Gandhi’s allegations, first raised on August 7, point to specific electoral irregularities, including duplicate voting by individuals like Shakun Rani in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura constituency and the addition of over 1 crore “mystery voters” nationwide, allegedly benefiting the BJP. At the Sasaram rally, he declared, “The only power the poor have is their vote, and even that is being stolen,” accusing the BJP of undermining the Constitution through voter suppression via the SIR process. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav amplified this, claiming the SIR could disenfranchise 65 lakh Bihar voters, describing the yatra as a “second freedom struggle.” Tejashwi Yadav added, “We will not let their votes be stolen,” emphasising protections for Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and minorities. Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the ECI of shielding wrongdoers, stating, “The Commission asks us for affidavits while the data lies with them. This is a deliberate attempt to shield wrongdoers.”
The Congress party has challenged the ECI’s impartiality. All India Congress Committee (AICC) Media Chairman Pawan Khera pointed to BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Anurag Thakur’s unpenalized August 14 claims of voter fraud, asking, “If this is not collusion, what else is?” AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal described the yatra as a “mass movement” against the “dangerous SIR exercise,” framing it as a “constitutional crusade.” Congress party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate stated in Sasaram, “The Election Commission is admitting that the voter list is wrong. If the voter list is wrong, then it is their job to fix it.” The opposition alleges the SIR disproportionately removed Dalit, minority, and migrant voters, citing 65 lakh deletions in Bihar, now under Supreme Court review.
Other INDIA alliance members have expressed support for the yatra and the broader campaign against alleged voter roll manipulations. Former Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president and Rajya Sabha member Akhilesh Prasad Singh highlighted coalition involvement, stating, “RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and leaders from CPI, CPM, CPIML, VIP will participate in it,” referring to the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). Singh noted, “Around 20 to 22 leaders of the INDIA bloc went to meet the Election Commission after it announced SIR. It averred that 20 per cent votes will be cut under the exercise. All parties, except the BJP and the Janata Dal United (JDU), gave their reactions,” indicating widespread coalition concern. On August 8, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) posted on X, stating, “In our discussion on SIR, all the opposition parties in the INDIA bloc unanimously condemned the way the @ECISVEEP is dancing to the @BJP4India’s tune. On 11th August, a delegation from the INDIA bloc, including representatives from AITC, will visit the Election Commission.” Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Juhie Singh wrote on X, “INDIA stands united in the exposition voter list manipulation, S.I.R and its methodology will lead to disenfranchisement of many, especially the poor and marginalised, निष्पक्ष चुनाव लोकतंत्र का आधार है और सही मतदाता सूची आवश्यक [Fair elections are the basis of democracy and accurate voter list is essential].”
The ECI, in its August 16 press note, defended its process, stating, “Pure Elector Rolls strengthen democracy,” and described sharing draft and final rolls with parties for a one-month claims and objections period, followed by appeals. It noted that some booth-level agents “did not examine the Electoral Rolls at the appropriate time and did not point out errors, if any.” On Shakun Rani, the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer stated, “On inquiry, Smt. Shakun Rani has stated that she has voted only once and not twice, as alleged by you,” requesting Gandhi’s records. Gyanesh Kumar clarified that only six Maharashtra constituencies saw over 50,000 voter additions, attributing these to youth voters and routine revisions, and said, “Political parties have 45 days after poll results to move the Supreme Court.”
The BJP has rejected the allegations. Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary remarked, “At least thanks to Nitish Kumar, Rahul Gandhi can hold his yatra on good roads. There’s nothing extraordinary about it.” BJP MP P.C. Mohan said, “Whatever allegation Rahul Gandhi has made, already Election Commission has given a notice to him, let him also reply for it.” Anil Kumar Gupta, Spokesperson of Delhi State BJP, called Gandhi a “Leader of Propaganda.”
Electoral experts have questioned the ECI’s response. Former Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat described the affidavit demand as “inadvisable,” suggesting inquiries instead. Electoral law expert P.D.T. Achary argued that Rule 20(3)(b) is inapplicable, stating, “They are asking for affidavit to be filed and under a rule in which no inquiry can take place. It is a joke in itself.” On social media platforms such as X, hashtags like #VoteChori have trended, with the Congress party’s portal amplifying demands for closed-circuit television footage and digital voter rolls.
As the yatra progresses, can its focus on voter rights and caste census demands influence Bihar’s elections? No widespread fraud has been substantiated, but the Supreme Court case tests the ECI’s credibility and the opposition’s strategy. With the August 24 deadline approaching, Rahul’s response will likely shape the trajectory of this controversy.
– global bihari bureau
