A group of 42 retired judges has written a strongly worded open letter expressing grave concern against attempts to undermine the Election Commission and other constitutional institutions and warned that such attempts will erode people’s faith. The signatories said they had no political brief and were speaking out because “silence is no longer a neutral choice”.&nbsp;The former judges questioned the claims of “vote theft” without any supporting evidence, defended the legally established SIR exercise, and warned that such repeated attacks could erode public trust, adding, “When the ballot loses meaning, the street gains it.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">42 Former Judges Write an Open Letter and Warn Against Attempts to Undermine Election Commission of India

In a strongly worded open letter, former judges have expressed grave concern over a sustained campaign to undermine the Election Commission, judiciary and other constitutional institutions.

The signatories have questioned allegations of “vote theft” without supporting evidence, warning that repeatedly branding constitutional authorities as “thieves” and “compromised” risks eroding public trust in democracy.

“Criticism of institutions is a democratic right. Denigration is not,” the letter states.

Defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the signatories emphasised that it is a legally established exercise aimed at ensuring clean and accurate voter lists.

“Trust is the currency of democracy,” the letter warns, cautioning that attempts to delegitimise elections could fuel unrest and embolden anarchic elements.&mdash; Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) <a href="https://x.com/KanchanGupta/status/2108132843193025000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>‘Some take their cues from beyond our borders’</h2> “Unrest begins with a narrative. Anarchic and fringe elements then occupy the vacuum. Some are homegrown. Some take their cues from beyond our borders,” read the strongly worded letter.They also warned against repeatedly branding constitutional authorities as “thieves”, “puppets” and “compromised”. “We write because, in moments like these, silence is no longer a neutral choice. Our concern is grave. India’s constitutional bodies are under sustained attack,” said the ex-judges. “The Election Commission of India stands at the centre of this assault. Even the higher judiciary, which we hold in high esteem, and statutory agencies have not been spared,” the letter added. <h2>‘Calculated campaign driven by vested political interests’</h2> The attacks are not reasoned critique, the former judges said. “This appears to be a calculated campaign driven by vested political interests, with little regard for the potentially devastating consequences of destabilising the world’s largest democracy,” the former judges wrote. “Trust is the currency of democracy,” the judges warned, adding, “Criticism of institutions is a democratic right. Denigration is not.” The letter included sharp jabs at the Congress and the Cockroach Janta Party without naming either. “Allegations of vote theft are made at press conferences, not before courts. When the Commission seeks a sworn declaration, none is filed. Electronic Voting Machines are blamed only after defeat. Victories won on the same machines go unquestioned. A party that governed this nation for over five decades now claims that the very system which elected it is rigged,” the letter read. “Activist outfits with a long record of selective litigation lend these claims a veneer of legality. They file petitions, one after the other. They seldom file proof. The courtroom becomes a stage, and when the judgment is delivered, it is criticised whenever it does not serve their interests,” it added. The signatories include former judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justices of high courts, and others. Former Supreme Court Judges Justice Hemant Gupta, Justice Pankaj Mittal are among those who signed. <h2>‘SIR a legally established exercise’</h2> They also defended the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, saying it is a legally established exercise aimed at ensuring clean and accurate voter lists. “Intensive revisions have been carried out repeatedly since the first general elections. The last SIR was completed about two decades back. No one called those revisions a conspiracy,” the letter read. They said decades of migration and urbanisation had made corrections to electoral rolls necessary, adding that “a clean roll protects every genuine vote”. “The protocols have not changed. The rules were not written in 2025. They were written in 1950. The uproar over SIR appears both sudden and remarkably convenient,” the letter further read. <h2>‘Do not amplify unverified claims,’ ex-judges urge media </h2> They appealed to the media not to amplify unverified claims, saying. “A headline is not evidence, and repetition does not make an allegation the truth.” They also urged citizens to “verify the facts before acting on them.” “Do not let anyone convince you that your vote is meaningless. Your vote is your voice, and it matters.” The former judges urged political parties to contest elections without seeking to delegitimise them and to take complaints to the Election Commission and courts with evidence.

The former judges defended the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, saying it is a legally established exercise aimed at ensuring clean and accurate voter lists. The rules were written in 1950, and the uproar over SIR appears both sudden and remarkably convenient, they said.

A group of 42 retired judges has written a strongly worded open letter expressing grave concern against attempts to undermine the Election Commission and other constitutional institutions and warned that such attempts will erode people’s faith. The signatories said they had no political brief and were speaking out because “silence is no longer a neutral choice”. The former judges questioned the claims of “vote theft” without any supporting evidence, defended the legally established SIR exercise, and warned that such repeated attacks could erode public trust, adding, “When the ballot loses meaning, the street gains it.”

The former judges defended the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, saying it is a legally established exercise aimed at ensuring clean and accurate voter lists. The rules were written in 1950, and the uproar over SIR appears both sudden and remarkably convenient, they said.

42 ex-judges write open letter, express concern over allegations against Election Commission

BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Thursday accused Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of nursing an “anarchist mindset” and said that the opposition parties were trying to “spread poison” in the society. BJP chief’s reaction came after cops were assaulted during the INDIA bloc MPs’ protest in Delhi on Wednesday, after which a case was filed.&nbsp;Addressing the media on the sidelines of a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, Nitin Nabin said Rahul Gandhi was seeking to shelter infiltrators by raising questions against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls due to his “foreign mindset”.&nbsp;&nbsp;The BJP chief also dared Rahul Gandhi to step down from his position as Opposition Leader if he did not believe in the Election Commission, which oversaw his own election as well.&nbsp;“These people are of an anarchic mindset, who only know how to spread poison in society…the elections in Kerala were also conducted by this same Election Commission. In Tamil Nadu, where they came to power from the backdoor, the elections there too were conducted by this same Election Commission,” Nabin said.&nbsp;“The people of the country are watching the kind of game they (INDIA bloc) are playing… The Leader of the Opposition is engaged in protecting infiltrators. Efforts are being made to secure rights for those who are encroaching on the rights of India’s people by coming in from different places,” he added.Nabin underlined that only the people of India have the claim over its resources, wealth and land, which would not be allowed to be encroached upon by “outsiders” or infiltrators.&nbsp;“The Bharatiya Janata Party will always fight against this attempt to settle people here with a foreign mindset,” Nabin added.&nbsp;Earlier, on Wednesday, while addressing a programme on the conclusion of a motorcycle yatra as part of the BJP’s Seva Sankalp Abhiyan marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public office, Nabin had said that the Opposition leaders are concerned about those who have been snatching the rights of the people of India.&nbsp;The Opposition MPs are staging a protest in Delhi on Thursday as well, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, and threaten to continue their agitation till their demands are met.

BJP national president Nitin Nabin also dared Rahul Gandhi to step down from his position as Opposition Leader if he did not believe in the Election Commission, which oversaw his own election as well. He added that the elections in Kerala were also conducted by this same Election Commission.

BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Thursday accused Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of nursing an “anarchist mindset” and said that the opposition parties were trying to “spread poison” in the society. BJP chief’s reaction came after cops were assaulted during the INDIA bloc MPs’ protest in Delhi on Wednesday, after which a case was filed. Addressing the media on the sidelines of a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, Nitin Nabin said Rahul Gandhi was seeking to shelter infiltrators by raising questions against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls due to his “foreign mindset”. The BJP chief also dared Rahul Gandhi to step down from his position as Opposition Leader if he did not believe in the Election Commission, which oversaw his own election as well. “These people are of an anarchic mindset, who only know how to spread poison in society…the elections in Kerala were also conducted by this same Election Commission. In Tamil Nadu, where they came to power from the backdoor, the elections there too were conducted by this same Election Commission,” Nabin said. “The people of the country are watching the kind of game they (INDIA bloc) are playing… The Leader of the Opposition is engaged in protecting infiltrators. Efforts are being made to secure rights for those who are encroaching on the rights of India’s people by coming in from different places,” he added. Nabin underlined that only the people of India have the claim over its resources, wealth and land, which would not be allowed to be encroached upon by “outsiders” or infiltrators. “The Bharatiya Janata Party will always fight against this attempt to settle people here with a foreign mindset,” Nabin added. Earlier, on Wednesday, while addressing a programme on the conclusion of a motorcycle yatra as part of the BJP’s Seva Sankalp Abhiyan marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public office, Nabin had said that the Opposition leaders are concerned about those who have been snatching the rights of the people of India. The Opposition MPs are staging a protest in Delhi on Thursday as well, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, and threaten to continue their agitation till their demands are met.

BJP national president Nitin Nabin also dared Rahul Gandhi to step down from his position as Opposition Leader if he did not believe in the Election Commission, which oversaw his own election as well. He added that the elections in Kerala were also conducted by this same Election Commission.

BJP chief Nitin Nabin calls Rahul Gandhi ‘anarchist’, says Oppn ‘spreading poison’ in society

Former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and other retired judges on Monday condemned the remarks of Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on the Election Commission of India. Gavai said a sitting judge should not have made comments on the row over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as the matter is sub judice before the top court.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Judicial propriety would not permit him to make any comment on the matter which is sub judice before the court,” Gavai said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Retired Delhi High Court judges SN Dhingra and RS Sodhi also questioned Bhuyan’s remarks. Justice Dhingra said Bhuyan’s statement was “way beyond the limits of a sitting top court judge” and such comments should not be made at a public event when the issue is pending before the same court.&nbsp;&nbsp;“He should have thought a thousand times before making such a statement,” Dhingra said, adding that Justice Bhuyan did not know the full facts of the issue.&nbsp;Justice RS Sodhi also criticised Justice Bhuyan for calling the SIR exercise disenfranchisement and said that the right to vote was governed by the statutory framework.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Whether you have a vote or you don’t have a vote depends upon the statute. If you fall within the parameters of the statute, you have a vote. If you don’t fall within the parameters of the statute, you don’t have a vote,” Justice Sodhi said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I mean, these hardline thinking and these hardline statements, to my mind, are not a very mature way of looking at a thing, especially when you are supposed to be in a field which is supposed to be excellent in its rationalising,” he said.&nbsp;Justice Bhuyan had said that any process that “disenfranchises” millions of Indian citizens was “intrinsically arbitrary” and a “negation” of the constitutional order.&nbsp;In his address at NALSAR University of Law on Sunday, Justice Bhuyan said the Constitution does not provide for two classes of citizens, one with voting rights and the other without voting rights, and no amount of “whataboutery” could justify such a process.&nbsp;&nbsp;Justice Bhuyan said the Constitution does not create two classes of citizens based on voting rights and added that wholesale disenfranchisement would violate Articles 326 and 14. “No authority can do it; no court can condone it. No one is above the Constitution,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Recently, a section of NALSAR Hyderabad students had opposed the proposal to invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest to the varsity’s convocation.&nbsp;Justice Bhuyan, who served as the Chancellor of NALSAR, said on Sunday that he can be legitimately proud of the students of the institution. “You have shown to the country and the world what a university student, that too, a student of law, should be like. You are brilliant. You are bold and you are brave,” he said.

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said in his address at NALSAR University of Law that the Constitution does not create two classes of citizens based on voting rights and added that wholesale disenfranchisement would violate Articles 326 and 14.

Former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and other retired judges on Monday condemned the remarks of Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on the Election Commission of India. Gavai said a sitting judge should not have made comments on the row over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as the matter is sub judice before the top court. “Judicial propriety would not permit him to make any comment on the matter which is sub judice before the court,” Gavai said. Retired Delhi High Court judges SN Dhingra and RS Sodhi also questioned Bhuyan’s remarks. Justice Dhingra said Bhuyan’s statement was “way beyond the limits of a sitting top court judge” and such comments should not be made at a public event when the issue is pending before the same court. “He should have thought a thousand times before making such a statement,” Dhingra said, adding that Justice Bhuyan did not know the full facts of the issue. Justice RS Sodhi also criticised Justice Bhuyan for calling the SIR exercise disenfranchisement and said that the right to vote was governed by the statutory framework. “Whether you have a vote or you don’t have a vote depends upon the statute. If you fall within the parameters of the statute, you have a vote. If you don’t fall within the parameters of the statute, you don’t have a vote,” Justice Sodhi said. “I mean, these hardline thinking and these hardline statements, to my mind, are not a very mature way of looking at a thing, especially when you are supposed to be in a field which is supposed to be excellent in its rationalising,” he said. Justice Bhuyan had said that any process that “disenfranchises” millions of Indian citizens was “intrinsically arbitrary” and a “negation” of the constitutional order. In his address at NALSAR University of Law on Sunday, Justice Bhuyan said the Constitution does not provide for two classes of citizens, one with voting rights and the other without voting rights, and no amount of “whataboutery” could justify such a process. Justice Bhuyan said the Constitution does not create two classes of citizens based on voting rights and added that wholesale disenfranchisement would violate Articles 326 and 14. “No authority can do it; no court can condone it. No one is above the Constitution,” he said. Recently, a section of NALSAR Hyderabad students had opposed the proposal to invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as chief guest to the varsity’s convocation. Justice Bhuyan, who served as the Chancellor of NALSAR, said on Sunday that he can be legitimately proud of the students of the institution. “You have shown to the country and the world what a university student, that too, a student of law, should be like. You are brilliant. You are bold and you are brave,” he said.

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said in his address at NALSAR University of Law that the Constitution does not create two classes of citizens based on voting rights and added that wholesale disenfranchisement would violate Articles 326 and 14.

Ex-CJI BR Gavai and former judges slam SC judge Ujjal Bhuyan’s remarks on EC

The Election Commission on Saturday, September 26, 2026, reiterated that all decisions, including the order for the SIR issued on June 24, 2025, were issued with the unanimous approval of the commission. However, Anjali Bhardwaj, activist and co-convenor of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI), claimed that she filed an RTI almost a month after the SIR order was issued and received a response that the commission had not taken any such decision on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), and the CPIO noted the information was unavailable in any material form.&nbsp;Following the ECI's June 2025 announcement of a nationwide SIR starting in Bihar, Bhardwaj filed an RTI application seeking official files and approvals. “The appellant is informed that the Commission has so far not taken any decision on initiating a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across the country in 2025 and hence no information to be provided in this regard,” said TC Kom, Principal Secretary of the Election Commission of India, as per a screenshot of the RTI shared by Bhardwaj on the social media platform X.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/election-commission-nine-decisions-sir-ecinet-form-6-internal-rift-1790507131449">Election Commission on 'damage control' : What do nine new decisions mean?</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Rajdeep here is the document. On June 24, 2025 ECI announced SIR will be done across the country, starting with Bihar. On July 28, 2025 I filed an RTI application seeking a copy of all the files vide which the decision to initiate SIR across the country was approved by the ECI.… <a href="https://t.co/DewW51SAI5">pic.twitter.com/DewW51SAI5</a>&mdash; Anjali Bhardwaj (@AnjaliB_) <a href="https://x.com/AnjaliB_/status/2103172631130501394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;The SIR exercise has been at the centre of a nationwide discussion following an Express Investigation in late September which alleged internal conflict among the top leadership of the Election Commission. The Election Commission had issued a response to these allegations, projecting institutional unity. It claimed that the Commission functions under the mandate of Article 324 of the Constitution, statutory rules and established institutional conventions.&nbsp;However, Bhardwaj's RTI response directly contradicts ECI's own press note in a very specific and officially documented way, carrying legal and administrative repercussions. The Nationwide SIR for electoral rolls was announced on June 24, 2025. On October 27, 2025, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar formally announced the nationwide schedule starting with 12 states and union territories. The schedule for an additional 19 states and union territories was later issued on May 14, 2026.&nbsp;

The ECI says the June 24, 2025 SIR order had unanimous approval, but an RTI response cited by activist Anjali Bhardwaj said no such nationwide decision had been taken.

The Election Commission on Saturday, September 26, 2026, reiterated that all decisions, including the order for the SIR issued on June 24, 2025, were issued with the unanimous approval of the commission. However, Anjali Bhardwaj, activist and co-convenor of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI), claimed that she filed an RTI almost a month after the SIR order was issued and received a response that the commission had not taken any such decision on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), and the CPIO noted the information was unavailable in any material form. Following the ECI's June 2025 announcement of a nationwide SIR starting in Bihar, Bhardwaj filed an RTI application seeking official files and approvals. “The appellant is informed that the Commission has so far not taken any decision on initiating a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across the country in 2025 and hence no information to be provided in this regard,” said TC Kom, Principal Secretary of the Election Commission of India, as per a screenshot of the RTI shared by Bhardwaj on the social media platform X. Also Read: Election Commission on 'damage control' : What do nine new decisions mean?

The ECI says the June 24, 2025 SIR order had unanimous approval, but an RTI response cited by activist Anjali Bhardwaj said no such nationwide decision had been taken.

SIR row: RTI response raises questions over EC’s claim of unanimous approval

All three Election Commissioners met on September 26 for their first meeting since the Express investigation alleged internal rupture. They issued a press note afterwards addressing the SIR row, ECINet, and voter enrolment. Congress and other opposition parties immediately branded it as a "damage control" exercise, while the BJP claimed that it exposed the allegations as manufactured controversy.&nbsp;<h2>What did the Election Commission claim?</h2>The ECI claimed that all ECI orders, including the June 24, 2025 order launching the SIR exercise, were issued with “unanimous approval of the Commission” in the past year. It claimed that the Supreme Court had already upheld the updated Form 6 declaration used in the SIR exercise in its May 27, 2026 order. The letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary was not about any “policy matter of the commission or IT division”; rather, it was related to the “working of an officer on deputation to ECI”. The work redistribution orders issued by the officer were never actually implemented, following the pushback from the two commissioners.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/who-is-gyanesh-kumar-cec-eci-rift-voter-rolls-sir-1790176484811">Gyanesh Kumar: Who is the CEC at centre of ECI rift over voter rolls?</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A meeting of the Election Commission of India was held today, 26 September 2026, at 3:00 PM at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi. Chief Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi were present in today’s meeting.… <a href="https://t.co/WZoqEIXVJq">pic.twitter.com/WZoqEIXVJq</a>&mdash; Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) <a href="https://x.com/ECISVEEP/status/2103812400181092553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>What are the nine decisions?</h2><ul><li>Voters excluded from rolls for being "unmapped" or flagged with a "logical discrepancy" will no longer get hearing notices. Booth Level Officers will instead visit their homes to collect documents and upload them on ECINet for decisions by the EROs. In-person hearings at ERO/AERO offices are no longer mandatory except in exceptional cases; these will preferably move online. Family members can now attend hearings on an elector's behalf</li><li>Help desks or special camps will be held by District Election Officers for underprivileged and severely economically marginalised people.</li><li>The declaration attached to Form 6 has been upheld by the Supreme Court; the SIR-specific declaration stays. Form 6, the standard registration form under the 1960 Rules, will apply for regular voter registration outside the SIR period;&nbsp;</li><li>Field officers already have "role-based" access to the ECINet. &nbsp;While it is still agreed to bring in an independent IIT/IIIT expert, under a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner-led committee, to verify ECINet's legal compliance, and committing that future IT changes will go through the Committee of Officers before Commission approval, so the objections are addressed procedurally going forward without conceding that anything was wrong in the past.</li><li>Claims-and-objections deadlines were extended to October 12 in Maharashtra and October 30 in Delhi</li><li>The decisions (vi)-(ix) discuss the internal communication and compliance of the officers of ECI, such as foreign trips, appraisals and directives issued to them. &nbsp;For all commission meetings, the agenda will be circulated in advance, and minutes will be issued.&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>What does this mean?</h2> The joint press note doesn't actually deny any of the 14 specific objections the Express reported or raised by the two Election Commissioners. It attempts to project institutional unity and hints at a reconciliatory tone. Several of the nine decisions, such as the ECINet audit, the home-visit policy, and the Form 6 carve-out, seem like quiet concessions to exactly what Sandhu and Joshi had been flagging internally. Joshi's objection was specifically about an online version of Form 6 on ECINet that included an extra question about applicants' parents and blocked submission unless answered; the Commission's statement doesn't say whether it removed that specific online field. It doesn't mention appeals against inclusion in West Bengal voters specifically, or why there were repeated requests for software permission to reverse the deletion in Goa went unanswered. Seema Khanna, the ECI's Director General of IT, whose office holds the ECINet permissions, is at the centre of the dispute, and the press note never names her. The language of (vi)–(ix) reads like corrective housekeeping rules – &nbsp;agenda circulated in advance, minutes issued for every meeting, APARs completed by December 31 every year, &nbsp;commission approval required for officers' foreign trips and all directions issued by the Commissioners to officers shall be “meticulously complied with” – written in response to an internal conflict.&nbsp;

The ECI’s nine decisions address SIR, ECINet and voter enrolment, but leave several key questions raised by the reported internal differences unanswered.

All three Election Commissioners met on September 26 for their first meeting since the Express investigation alleged internal rupture. They issued a press note afterwards addressing the SIR row, ECINet, and voter enrolment. Congress and other opposition parties immediately branded it as a "damage control" exercise, while the BJP claimed that it exposed the allegations as manufactured controversy. What did the Election Commission claim? The ECI claimed that all ECI orders, including the June 24, 2025 order launching the SIR exercise, were issued with “unanimous approval of the Commission” in the past year. It claimed that the Supreme Court had already upheld the updated Form 6 declaration used in the SIR exercise in its May 27, 2026 order. The letter sent to the Cabinet Secretary was not about any “policy matter of the commission or IT division”; rather, it was related to the “working of an officer on deputation to ECI”. The work redistribution orders issued by the officer were never actually implemented, following the pushback from the two commissioners. Also Read: Gyanesh Kumar: Who is the CEC at centre of ECI rift over voter rolls?

The ECI’s nine decisions address SIR, ECINet and voter enrolment, but leave several key questions raised by the reported internal differences unanswered.

Election Commission on 'damage control' : What do nine new decisions mean?

Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, finds himself in the eye of the storm following reports alleging a rift between two other election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. They have reportedly objected 14 times within 10 months to several key decisions of the ECI, including developing new modules and portals for centralising the electoral database without their prior approval, alteration of Form 6 for new voter registration without any formal government notification and disenfranchisement of voters in Special Intensive Revision.&nbsp;All three Election Commissioners are completely equal in power, status, and decision-making authority. The Chief Election Commissioner is the one amongst equals to head the institution as chairman, but it does not grant him overruling powers. So, once again, the Election Commission in the world's largest democracy is facing serious credibility challenges, and discussion surrounds one man, Gyanesh Kumar Gupta.&nbsp;<h2>Who is Gyanesh Kumar Gupta?</h2>Gyanesh Kumar was born in Agra in 1964, and studied at IIT Kanpur (BTech) and did coursework in environmental economics at Harvard. He was a 1988 batch in the IAS cadre and served in Kerala with both Left and Congress governments. His last role as administrator was under Amit Shah as Cooperation Secretary. He then retired in January 2024 and joined as Election Commissioner within two months and later took the reins of the Indian apex polling body as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India on February 19, 2025.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-xi-us-china-mutual-respect-trade-ai-security-state-visit-1790261968733">Trump hails ‘mutual respect’ in US-China ties while welcoming Xi for second state visit</a>The appointment was controversial not only because the Government amended provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023,<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-is-the-2023-ec-appointment-law-under-sc-scrutiny-why-was-it-referred-to-cji-1790236566647"> which changed the selection committee</a>, but also because, just before his appointment, Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned without completing his tenure. He cited “personal reasons” for his resignation. But several reasons fuelled immense turmoil: firstly, he resigned just ahead of the 2024 General Assembly Election. Secondly, out of the three commissioners, another commissioner, Anup Chandra Pandey, had already retired in February 2024, so he would have known that his resignation would lead to a thinning of leadership just ahead of a crunch election. Thirdly, media reports widely pointed to an internal rift between Goel and then CEC Rajiv Kumar. Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu joined on March 14 to fill the empty seats.Another notable mention in Gyanesh Kumar's portfolio is that he was part of the ‘crack team’ tasked with mapping the legal and administrative framework for removing Article 370, according to a <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2026/03/14/from-kashmir-to-ayodhya-to-sir-the-making-of-indias-most-divisive-chief-election-commissioner">Newslaundry profile </a>which cites a book published by BlueKraft Digital Foundation, an organisation which has interviews with Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and several bureaucrats, and “offers a largely hagiographical account of the planning.” As Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation, he was also helping with the formation of Ram Mandir Trust, which became extremely controversial after the recent embezzlement scam.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bishop-robert-barron-communism-comeback-us-fulton-sheen-beatification-1790256985319">Trump's Catholic ally Bishop Barron warns communism is ‘making a comeback’ in US ahead of Sheen beatification</a>Currently, Gyanesh Kumar's daughter, Medha Roopam, District Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar, is in the middle of a legal battle for the preventive detention of a 24-year-old Delhi University student and activist, Akriti Chaudhary, under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) following labour protests in Noida. The Allahabad High Court has already ruled against her and slammed her for being “despotic” and turning UP into an Orwellian dystopia. She then immediately appealed to the Supreme Court, which stayed the ₹5 lakh fine to be paid from her salary to the student and the adverse remarks made against her; however, it quashed the NSA against Akriti.Now Gyanesh Kumar is facing calls for resignation, criminal investigation from opposition leaders, with the newly formed satirical Cockroach Janta Party threatening a nationwide protest.

Who is Gyanesh Kumar? Here is a look at the CEC’s career, appointment and the reported ECI rift over voter rolls, Form 6 and SIR.

Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, finds himself in the eye of the storm following reports alleging a rift between two other election commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. They have reportedly objected 14 times within 10 months to several key decisions of the ECI, including developing new modules and portals for centralising the electoral database without their prior approval, alteration of Form 6 for new voter registration without any formal government notification and disenfranchisement of voters in Special Intensive Revision. All three Election Commissioners are completely equal in power, status, and decision-making authority. The Chief Election Commissioner is the one amongst equals to head the institution as chairman, but it does not grant him overruling powers. So, once again, the Election Commission in the world's largest democracy is facing serious credibility challenges, and discussion surrounds one man, Gyanesh Kumar Gupta. Who is Gyanesh Kumar Gupta? Gyanesh Kumar was born in Agra in 1964, and studied at IIT Kanpur (BTech) and did coursework in environmental economics at Harvard. He was a 1988 batch in the IAS cadre and served in Kerala with both Left and Congress governments. His last role as administrator was under Amit Shah as Cooperation Secretary. He then retired in January 2024 and joined as Election Commissioner within two months and later took the reins of the Indian apex polling body as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India on February 19, 2025. Also Read: Trump hails ‘mutual respect’ in US-China ties while welcoming Xi for second state visit The appointment was controversial not only because the Government amended provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which changed the selection committee, but also because, just before his appointment, Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned without completing his tenure. He cited “personal reasons” for his resignation. But several reasons fuelled immense turmoil: firstly, he resigned just ahead of the 2024 General Assembly Election. Secondly, out of the three commissioners, another commissioner, Anup Chandra Pandey, had already retired in February 2024, so he would have known that his resignation would lead to a thinning of leadership just ahead of a crunch election. Thirdly, media reports widely pointed to an internal rift between Goel and then CEC Rajiv Kumar. Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu joined on March 14 to fill the empty seats. Another notable mention in Gyanesh Kumar's portfolio is that he was part of the ‘crack team’ tasked with mapping the legal and administrative framework for removing Article 370, according to a Newslaundry profile which cites a book published by BlueKraft Digital Foundation, an organisation which has interviews with Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and several bureaucrats, and “offers a largely hagiographical account of the planning.” As Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation, he was also helping with the formation of Ram Mandir Trust, which became extremely controversial after the recent embezzlement scam. Also Read: Trump's Catholic ally Bishop Barron warns communism is ‘making a comeback’ in US ahead of Sheen beatification Currently, Gyanesh Kumar's daughter, Medha Roopam, District Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar, is in the middle of a legal battle for the preventive detention of a 24-year-old Delhi University student and activist, Akriti Chaudhary, under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) following labour protests in Noida. The Allahabad High Court has already ruled against her and slammed her for being “despotic” and turning UP into an Orwellian dystopia. She then immediately appealed to the Supreme Court, which stayed the ₹5 lakh fine to be paid from her salary to the student and the adverse remarks made against her; however, it quashed the NSA against Akriti. Now Gyanesh Kumar is facing calls for resignation, criminal investigation from opposition leaders, with the newly formed satirical Cockroach Janta Party threatening a nationwide protest.

Who is Gyanesh Kumar? Here is a look at the CEC’s career, appointment and the reported ECI rift over voter rolls, Form 6 and SIR.

Gyanesh Kumar: Who is the CEC at centre of ECI rift over voter rolls?

Rahul Gandhi has reacted to reports of objections raised by two Election Commissioners over decisions linked to the electoral roll revision process. The report said the commissioners raised objections 14 times over a 10-month period.

Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi leads the charge against CeC Gyanesh Kumar 

A major controversy has erupted in Karnataka after the draft electoral roll revealed that nearly 50% of Bengaluru's registered voters have been placed under the ASDO (Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate, Other) category, making them liable for deletion from the final voter list.

The BJP has accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of violating election guidelines, while the Congress claims the opposition is trying to politicize the voter list revision. Officials have asked voters wrongly marked under ASDO to verify their details before the August 8 deadline.

Watch the full report for the latest updates.

Bengaluru Voter List Shock: Nearly 50% of Voters Marked for Deletion | Karnataka Electoral Roll Row

A fresh political controversy has erupted in West Bengal after the unveiling of a statue of legendary Bengali cinema icon Uttam Kumar. The statue, inaugurated on the actor's death anniversary, has drawn widespread criticism on social media, with many claiming it bears little resemblance to the iconic superstar.

The issue quickly turned political as opposition leaders and even voices within the Trinamool Congress questioned the quality of the statue, calling for it to be replaced. The controversy comes at a crucial time for the Trinamool Congress, which is grappling with internal divisions following a major party split.

Uttam Kumar Statue Sparks Political Storm in Bengal | Mamata Banerjee Faces Fresh TMC Crisis

Repolling was held in several West Bengal districts on Saturday amid heightened security and tight monitoring by election authorities. The move comes after irregularities were reported during the initial voting process. Officials ensured strict arrangements at polling stations to maintain order and transparency. Voter turnout and smooth conduct of the repolling process are being closely observed as part of the ongoing electoral exercise in the state.


Bengal Elections: Repolling Takes Place Across West Bengal Districts on Saturday

The Election Commission of India has assured a balanced and fair composition of counting staff for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly Elections. The move aims to ensure transparency, neutrality, and smooth conduct during the vote-counting process. Officials say strict guidelines will be followed to maintain credibility and public trust as the politically crucial elections approach.


Bengal Elections: EC Promises Balanced Composition of Counting Staff

India is preparing for crucial state elections, with voting scheduled from April 9 to 29. Citizens across multiple states will cast their ballots to elect new governments, testing the strength of regional and national parties. Authorities are ensuring security, smooth polling, and awareness campaigns to facilitate democratic participation.

 India Gears Up for State Polls, Voting From April 9 to 29

India’s Election Commission has announced elections for 37 Rajya Sabha seats, scheduled for 16 March. The announcement sets the stage for a high-stakes political contest as parties vie for influence in the Upper House of Parliament, shaping the legislative agenda and the balance of power ahead of key national decisions.


India's Election Commission Announces Elections for 37 Rajya Sabha Seats on 16 March

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (Dec 20) defended the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying that the exercise is aimed at ensuring that “infiltrators” are not included in voting lists while some 'deshdrohis'(traitors) are making efforts to keep them. “The Centre is taking strict steps to stop infiltration,” he said.&nbsp;Addressing a rally after inaugurating the new Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, the Prime Minister slammed Congress for ignoring the development of Assam and the northeast, adding that he is correcting the mistakes of the grand old party.&nbsp;“Congress governments ignored Assam and the northeast for six to seven decades. Now I am correcting those mistakes,” he said.&nbsp;PM Modi alleged that Congress “a sin of trying to destroy the identity of Assam, and that it was becoming part of a plan to make Assam a part of East Pakistan. "Before Independence, when the Muslim League and the British were preparing the ground for the partition of India, there was also a plan to make Assam a part of undivided Bengal or East Pakistan. Congress was moving towards becoming part of this plan,” he alleged.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-could-have-stopped-epstein-s-abuse-new-release-reveals-1996-child-porn-complaint-was-ignored-1766228498936">FBI could have stopped Epstein’s abuse; new release reveals 1996 child porn complaint was ignored</a>&nbsp;“It was then that Bordoloi ji stood up against his own party and opposed the conspiracy to end the identity of Assam and saved Assam from being separated from the country," the Prime Minister added.&nbsp;He further said that the double-engine government of the BJP is making sure the stream of development flows uninterruptedly in Assam, just as the Brahmaputra river flows continuously in the state.&nbsp;PM Modi inaugurated several developmental projects in poll-bound Assam, including the terminal-2 building of the Guwahati airport, engineered to handle 13.1 million passengers annually and was built at an expense of around Rs 4000 crores.&nbsp;

PM Modi accused the Congress of neglecting the development of Assam and the Northeast and said his government is correcting their mistakes.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (Dec 20) defended the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying that the exercise is aimed at ensuring that “infiltrators” are not included in voting lists while some 'deshdrohis'(traitors) are making efforts to keep them. “The Centre is taking strict steps to stop infiltration,” he said. Addressing a rally after inaugurating the new Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, the Prime Minister slammed Congress for ignoring the development of Assam and the northeast, adding that he is correcting the mistakes of the grand old party. “Congress governments ignored Assam and the northeast for six to seven decades. Now I am correcting those mistakes,” he said. PM Modi alleged that Congress “a sin of trying to destroy the identity of Assam, and that it was becoming part of a plan to make Assam a part of East Pakistan. "Before Independence, when the Muslim League and the British were preparing the ground for the partition of India, there was also a plan to make Assam a part of undivided Bengal or East Pakistan. Congress was moving towards becoming part of this plan,” he alleged. Also Read: FBI could have stopped Epstein’s abuse; new release reveals 1996 child porn complaint was ignored “It was then that Bordoloi ji stood up against his own party and opposed the conspiracy to end the identity of Assam and saved Assam from being separated from the country," the Prime Minister added. He further said that the double-engine government of the BJP is making sure the stream of development flows uninterruptedly in Assam, just as the Brahmaputra river flows continuously in the state. PM Modi inaugurated several developmental projects in poll-bound Assam, including the terminal-2 building of the Guwahati airport, engineered to handle 13.1 million passengers annually and was built at an expense of around Rs 4000 crores.

PM Modi accused the Congress of neglecting the development of Assam and the Northeast and said his government is correcting their mistakes.&nbsp;

PM Modi backs SIR, says EC drive meant to weed out infiltrators

The Election Commission of India flagged 58,08,202 (around 6 million) names as potentially eligible for exclusion from the electoral rolls following completion of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal. The poll body on Friday (Dec 12) extended the duration of the ongoing electoral clean-up drive for five states and a union territory, including Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while in Rajasthan, West Bengal and Goa, it marked the completion of enumeration.&nbsp;According to the Election Commission, officials said that the figures represent the count of deceased, missing, relocated, bogus and other disqualified voters identified during the enumeration process in the state. The commission expected he final figure to be similar to the draft rolls with minor adjustments after considering complaints and anomalies flagged by the voters.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-accuses-ukraine-of-targeting-chemical-facilities-risking-exposure-to-civilians-1765528782940">Russia accuses Ukraine of targeting chemical facilities, risking exposure to civilians</a>&nbsp;West Bengal's electoral roll, last certified on 27 October 2025, records 7,66,37,529 registered voters. In this context, the provisional figure of 50 lakh represents a sizeable share of the electorate. Election officials and the Chief Electoral Officer’s office have repeatedly emphasised that this number is only a preliminary outcome of the digitisation process. They clarified that it must be viewed within the administrative sequence that follows: publication of the draft roll, issuance of notices, hearings, resolution of claims and objections, and finally, the Election Commission of India’s scrutiny and approval of the final list.&nbsp;The poll body classified 1,35,575 voters as bogus, while another 57,509 voters are placed under the "other" category, all of whom are slated for removal from the draft list. It will publish the draft electoral roll on December 6, following which voters can raise objections, report errors or submit missing information.&nbsp;The Election Commission launched the second phase of the SIR drive across 12 states and Union Territories with preparatory printing and training from 28–30 October 2025, followed by house-to-house enumeration from 4 November to 11 December 2025. Draft electoral rolls were published on 16 December 2025, with the claims and objections window open until 15 January 2026, and the final voter list set for publication by mid-February 2026.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/venture-capital-leaders-pranav-sharma-blue-gold-s-sameer-salgar-join-kyvex-1765534750547">Venture Capital Leaders Pranav Sharma &amp; Blue Gold’s Sameer Salgar Join Kyvex to lead Global Business Development and accelerate global expansion of India’s Sovereign AI Platform</a>&nbsp;However, the exercise became a point of contention between the ruling NDA alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Opposition Bloc, with Congress describing it as a move aimed at vote theft. In contrast, the BJP described it as a routine exercise to clean up electoral rolls in the country.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Amid the row over the Special Intensive Revision, the Election Commission identified 58,08,202 names potentially eligible for deletion on the grounds of deceased, missing, relocated and bogus voters.

The Election Commission of India flagged 58,08,202 (around 6 million) names as potentially eligible for exclusion from the electoral rolls following completion of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal. The poll body on Friday (Dec 12) extended the duration of the ongoing electoral clean-up drive for five states and a union territory, including Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while in Rajasthan, West Bengal and Goa, it marked the completion of enumeration. According to the Election Commission, officials said that the figures represent the count of deceased, missing, relocated, bogus and other disqualified voters identified during the enumeration process in the state. The commission expected he final figure to be similar to the draft rolls with minor adjustments after considering complaints and anomalies flagged by the voters. Also Read: Russia accuses Ukraine of targeting chemical facilities, risking exposure to civilians West Bengal's electoral roll, last certified on 27 October 2025, records 7,66,37,529 registered voters. In this context, the provisional figure of 50 lakh represents a sizeable share of the electorate. Election officials and the Chief Electoral Officer’s office have repeatedly emphasised that this number is only a preliminary outcome of the digitisation process. They clarified that it must be viewed within the administrative sequence that follows: publication of the draft roll, issuance of notices, hearings, resolution of claims and objections, and finally, the Election Commission of India’s scrutiny and approval of the final list. The poll body classified 1,35,575 voters as bogus, while another 57,509 voters are placed under the "other" category, all of whom are slated for removal from the draft list. It will publish the draft electoral roll on December 6, following which voters can raise objections, report errors or submit missing information. The Election Commission launched the second phase of the SIR drive across 12 states and Union Territories with preparatory printing and training from 28–30 October 2025, followed by house-to-house enumeration from 4 November to 11 December 2025. Draft electoral rolls were published on 16 December 2025, with the claims and objections window open until 15 January 2026, and the final voter list set for publication by mid-February 2026. Also Read: Venture Capital Leaders Pranav Sharma & Blue Gold’s Sameer Salgar Join Kyvex to lead Global Business Development and accelerate global expansion of India’s Sovereign AI Platform However, the exercise became a point of contention between the ruling NDA alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Opposition Bloc, with Congress describing it as a move aimed at vote theft. In contrast, the BJP described it as a routine exercise to clean up electoral rolls in the country.

Amid the row over the Special Intensive Revision, the Election Commission identified 58,08,202 names potentially eligible for deletion on the grounds of deceased, missing, relocated and bogus voters.

West Bengal SIR: Over 5 million voters identified for likely exclusion from voter list

The Election Commission of Guinea-Bissau alleges that coup-linked forces destroyed key vote tally sheets, leaving the country without official election results. The claim has deepened political uncertainty in a nation already struggling with instability and competing power centers. This video breaks down the commission’s allegations, the military’s response, and what this means for Guinea-Bissau’s democratic process.


Election Commission of Guinea-Bissau Claims Coup Forces Destroyed Vote Tally Sheets

The Election Commission of India has announced a nationwide overhaul of voter rolls, aiming to remove duplicate entries, update outdated information, and ensure cleaner electoral data ahead of the 2025 general and state elections.


India Launches Mass Overhaul of Voter Rolls 

The Election Commission of India has announced a nationwide overhaul of voter rolls, aiming to remove duplicate entries, update outdated information, and ensure cleaner electoral data ahead of the 2025 general and state elections.

India Launches Mass Overhaul of Voter Rolls

Karnataka SIT found in an investigation that in the Aland seat, Rs 80 was paid for every fraudulent deletion request from the voter list, ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly Election. The SIT has since raided properties belonging to BJP leader Subhash Guttedar, his sons Harshananda and Santhosh. The Aland seat was one of the anomalies brought up by the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi.&nbsp;According to the SIT investigation in the run-up to the 2023 assembly election, 5,994 of 6,018 voter deletion applications were forged. The credentials of other voters were used by miscreants to file Form 7 applications without the knowledge of the applicants or the targeted voters. The probe pointed to a data centre based in Kalburgi was used as a submission point for these applications. The data center believed to have operated from Guttedar’s area of influence.Two individuals, Md Ashfaq and Md Akram, are alleged to have operated the data centre and facilitated the submission of these applications. The investigation also recovered a laptop and mobile phones. The probe found that 75 numbers belonging to people from different professions poultry farm workers to relatives of police, were used to file applications for the fraudulent deletion request from the voter list. The revelation was followed by a complaint by Congress MLA of Aland, B R Patil.&nbsp;The SIT was initially stalled due to the Election Commission of India not initially providing the crucial technical data to the Criminal Investigation Department.&nbsp;Congress Media Department head Pawan Khera said, “Under the BJP, the sacred right to vote has been reduced to a commodity – suspended for as little as Rs 80 per person. It is a disgrace for this government.” This was one of the prime allegations of the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, that voter deletion was not random, “there was method to this madness” said Khera, “The SIT’s findings now confirm that vote chori is no accident but a centrally organised, well-funded racket designed to rig our elections. The more we scratch the surface, the more this fraud is exposed.”&nbsp;

A Karnataka SIT probe reveals a shocking voter fraud in Aland constituency, where Rs 80 was paid for each fake voter-deletion request. Over 6,000 bogus applications were filed ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.

Karnataka SIT found in an investigation that in the Aland seat, Rs 80 was paid for every fraudulent deletion request from the voter list, ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly Election. The SIT has since raided properties belonging to BJP leader Subhash Guttedar, his sons Harshananda and Santhosh. The Aland seat was one of the anomalies brought up by the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi. According to the SIT investigation in the run-up to the 2023 assembly election, 5,994 of 6,018 voter deletion applications were forged. The credentials of other voters were used by miscreants to file Form 7 applications without the knowledge of the applicants or the targeted voters. The probe pointed to a data centre based in Kalburgi was used as a submission point for these applications. The data center believed to have operated from Guttedar’s area of influence. Two individuals, Md Ashfaq and Md Akram, are alleged to have operated the data centre and facilitated the submission of these applications. The investigation also recovered a laptop and mobile phones. The probe found that 75 numbers belonging to people from different professions poultry farm workers to relatives of police, were used to file applications for the fraudulent deletion request from the voter list. The revelation was followed by a complaint by Congress MLA of Aland, B R Patil. The SIT was initially stalled due to the Election Commission of India not initially providing the crucial technical data to the Criminal Investigation Department. Congress Media Department head Pawan Khera said, “Under the BJP, the sacred right to vote has been reduced to a commodity – suspended for as little as Rs 80 per person. It is a disgrace for this government.” This was one of the prime allegations of the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, that voter deletion was not random, “there was method to this madness” said Khera, “The SIT’s findings now confirm that vote chori is no accident but a centrally organised, well-funded racket designed to rig our elections. The more we scratch the surface, the more this fraud is exposed.”

A Karnataka SIT probe reveals a shocking voter fraud in Aland constituency, where Rs 80 was paid for each fake voter-deletion request. Over 6,000 bogus applications were filed ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.

Karnataka SIT uncovers Rs 80-per-voter fraud scheme in Aland seat: Over 6,000 fake deletion requests filed before 2023 polls

The Election Commission is expected to visit Bihar next month, just ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections slated for October-November, raising anticipation that the election schedule might soon be announced. Typically, the Election Commission conducts a visit to a state on the brink of elections before finalising the polling dates, which are usually announced within a few days of the visit. In the upcoming contest, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising of BJP, JD(U), and LJP, is aiming for a continuation of their rule in Bihar. On the other hand, the INDIA alliance, which includes the RJD, Congress, and left-wing parties, is determined to dethrone Nitish Kumar’s government.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-time-has-come-to-decriminalise-defamation-law-says-supreme-court-in-a-shift-from-its-2016-ruling-1758543853467">‘Time has come to decriminalise defamation law,’ says Supreme Court in a shift from its 2016 ruling</a>&nbsp;The current 243-member Bihar Assembly is dominated by the NDA with 131 seats, of which the BJP holds 80, JD(U) has 45, and HAM(S) has 4, alongside the backing of two independents. In contrast, the opposition INDIA bloc has 111 seats, with the RJD leading at 77, Congress at 19, CPI(ML) at 11, and smaller left parties like CPI(M) and CPI contributing two seats each.&nbsp;Ahead of these elections, the Congress party is set to convene a crucial meeting of its Working Committee (CWC) in Patna on September 24. Key leaders, including Party President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and other state leaders, are expected to participate in the discussions. The agenda is expected to cover critical state issues such as allegations of ‘vote theft’, rising crime rates, unemployment, and inflation, which have been increasingly problematic in Bihar.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has introduced several welfare measures, including free electricity and the deployment of more than 10,000 ‘Vikas Mitras’ to assist marginalised communities in accessing government benefits. Additionally, the state government has announced ₹10,000 for over 30,000 Shiksha Sevaks and Talimi Markaz workers to help them purchase smartphones, facilitating education for children from marginalised backgrounds.

Bihar election countdown: Election Commission set to visit state ahead of poll dates announcement

The Election Commission is expected to visit Bihar next month, just ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections slated for October-November, raising anticipation that the election schedule might soon be announced. Typically, the Election Commission conducts a visit to a state on the brink of elections before finalising the polling dates, which are usually announced within a few days of the visit. In the upcoming contest, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising of BJP, JD(U), and LJP, is aiming for a continuation of their rule in Bihar. On the other hand, the INDIA alliance, which includes the RJD, Congress, and left-wing parties, is determined to dethrone Nitish Kumar’s government. Also Read: ‘Time has come to decriminalise defamation law,’ says Supreme Court in a shift from its 2016 ruling The current 243-member Bihar Assembly is dominated by the NDA with 131 seats, of which the BJP holds 80, JD(U) has 45, and HAM(S) has 4, alongside the backing of two independents. In contrast, the opposition INDIA bloc has 111 seats, with the RJD leading at 77, Congress at 19, CPI(ML) at 11, and smaller left parties like CPI(M) and CPI contributing two seats each. Ahead of these elections, the Congress party is set to convene a crucial meeting of its Working Committee (CWC) in Patna on September 24. Key leaders, including Party President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and other state leaders, are expected to participate in the discussions. The agenda is expected to cover critical state issues such as allegations of ‘vote theft’, rising crime rates, unemployment, and inflation, which have been increasingly problematic in Bihar. Meanwhile, Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has introduced several welfare measures, including free electricity and the deployment of more than 10,000 ‘Vikas Mitras’ to assist marginalised communities in accessing government benefits. Additionally, the state government has announced ₹10,000 for over 30,000 Shiksha Sevaks and Talimi Markaz workers to help them purchase smartphones, facilitating education for children from marginalised backgrounds.

The Election Commission is set to visit Bihar ahead of the October-November Assembly polls. With NDA and INDIA alliances preparing for a fierce contest, Congress is holding a key meeting to address state issues

Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday (September 17, 2025) said it has "locked" the national identity cards of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, effectively barring her from voting in the general elections scheduled for February next year.


Bangladesh EC bars Hasina from voting in 2026 elections, blocks National Identity Card 

The stage is set for a major political showdown. How is the race progressing and what does it mean for India's future?

India's high-stakes vice-presidential elections 2025: Complex voting process 

India prepares for vice-presidential elections: Who will it be? 

A political row has erupted in India over allegations of "vote theft", with opposition parties accusing the country's election body of irregularities, which they say favoured the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general elections.


India: Vote theft row escalates, leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi & Election Commission trade fire

The Election Commission of India (ECI) held a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday and condemned the allegations of vote theft in the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, while calling them an insult to the Indian Constitution. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, flanked by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, said in the press conference that the Election Commission and the voters are not afraid of petty politics. The CEC also objected to the use of “improper phrases” like “vote chori” and said that it amounts to insulting the Constitution.&nbsp;CEC Gyanesh Kumar further said that the Election Commission doesn’t see the ruling party and opposition differently, and everyone is equal for the poll panel.&nbsp;&nbsp;The CEC said that under the Constitution, every citizen above 18 must register as a voter and exercise their right to vote. “Every citizen of India who has completed 18 years must become an elector and must cast the vote,” the CEC said.&nbsp;<h2>‘Every political party registered with EC, no question of discrimination’</h2>&nbsp;CEC Kumar added that every political party is registered with the Election Commission, and there is no question of discrimination among them. He further stressed that the Commission would not step back from its constitutional duty and&nbsp;responsibilities.&nbsp;The CEC said that the Election Commission’s doors are open to everyone equally and that voters, political parties, and booth-level officers are working together in a transparent manner by verifying, signing, and even giving video testimonials. He expressed concern that these verified documents and testimonials from district party presidents and nominated BLOs are either not reaching their state or national leaders or are being ignored to spread confusion.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It is a matter of concern that the voice of these representatives of political parties is either not reaching their parties' leadership, or ground realities are being ignored in an attempt to spread misinformation,” Kumar said.&nbsp;<h2>‘Allegations made of double voting, no proof provided when asked’</h2>&nbsp;Condemning the allegations of vote theft, the CEC said, “More than 1 crore officials, over 10 lakh booth-level agents, and over 20 lakh polling agents work for a Lok Sabha election. Can anyone steal votes in front of so many people and with such a transparent process? Some allegations of double voting were made, but when we asked for proof, we got nothing. Such allegations scare neither the Election Commission nor any voter.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">VIDEO | When asked about the ECI asking for affidavit regarding the accusation of &#39;vote theft&#39; issue, CEC Gyanesh Kumar says, &quot;If a complaint comes in view of a voter, the ECI examines, but if accusation is about 1.5 lakh voters, then should we sent notices to 1.5 lakh voters… <a href="https://t.co/6NKOUjdVb7">pic.twitter.com/6NKOUjdVb7</a>&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1957038658214629540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>‘15 days still left, parties can approach us’</h2>&nbsp;The CEC said that 15 days were left for corrections in the Bihar draft electoral roll and called on every party to approach the ECI with the same.“15 days are still remaining. The Election Commission calls on every political party, any problems in the draft electoral roll given to them should be brought before the commission by prescribed forms in the next 15 days,” the CEC said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">VIDEO | In a press conference, the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar says, &quot;As far as machine-readable electoral roll is concerned, the SC has already said in 2019, this can result in a breach in voters&#39; privacy. We saw few days back, photos of many voters were used in… <a href="https://t.co/gmCxWOUrGh">pic.twitter.com/gmCxWOUrGh</a>&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1957028789419995601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>‘Breach of voter privacy’</h2> “As for a machine-readable voter list, the Supreme Court said in 2019 that this can lead to a breach of voter privacy. We saw some days back that photos of several voters were released in the media without their permission. Should the poll body share CCTV footage of any voter?” Kumar asked. The EC’s strong response came after opposition parties accused the poll body of “stealing” elections in collusion with the BJP, claiming that attempts were underway to manipulate the Bihar Assembly polls through voter additions and deletions under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. <h2>‘We will not let them steal the election in Bihar’: Rahul</h2> Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav accused the EC of acting as the BJP’s agent and “snatching people’s right to vote.”Gandhi launched the 1,300 km-long ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ from Sasaram in Bihar to step up the INDIA bloc’s campaign against what it claims to be “vote chori” (vote theft). Gandhi said the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ is a fight to save the Constitution. "In the whole country, Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are being stolen, and their last conspiracy is to delete and add voters through SIR to steal the elections in Bihar. We will not let them steal the election in Bihar. People of Bihar will not let them steal elections. Poor only have the power of vote and will not let them steal polls,” Gandhi alleged.

The Election Commission’s strong response came after opposition parties accused the poll body of “stealing” elections in collusion with the BJP, claiming that attempts were underway to manipulate the Bihar Assembly polls through Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) held a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday and condemned the allegations of vote theft in the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, while calling them an insult to the Indian Constitution. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, flanked by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, said in the press conference that the Election Commission and the voters are not afraid of petty politics. The CEC also objected to the use of “improper phrases” like “vote chori” and said that it amounts to insulting the Constitution. CEC Gyanesh Kumar further said that the Election Commission doesn’t see the ruling party and opposition differently, and everyone is equal for the poll panel. The CEC said that under the Constitution, every citizen above 18 must register as a voter and exercise their right to vote. “Every citizen of India who has completed 18 years must become an elector and must cast the vote,” the CEC said. ‘Every political party registered with EC, no question of discrimination’ CEC Kumar added that every political party is registered with the Election Commission, and there is no question of discrimination among them. He further stressed that the Commission would not step back from its constitutional duty and responsibilities. The CEC said that the Election Commission’s doors are open to everyone equally and that voters, political parties, and booth-level officers are working together in a transparent manner by verifying, signing, and even giving video testimonials. He expressed concern that these verified documents and testimonials from district party presidents and nominated BLOs are either not reaching their state or national leaders or are being ignored to spread confusion. “It is a matter of concern that the voice of these representatives of political parties is either not reaching their parties' leadership, or ground realities are being ignored in an attempt to spread misinformation,” Kumar said. ‘Allegations made of double voting, no proof provided when asked’ Condemning the allegations of vote theft, the CEC said, “More than 1 crore officials, over 10 lakh booth-level agents, and over 20 lakh polling agents work for a Lok Sabha election. Can anyone steal votes in front of so many people and with such a transparent process? Some allegations of double voting were made, but when we asked for proof, we got nothing. Such allegations scare neither the Election Commission nor any voter.”

The Election Commission’s strong response came after opposition parties accused the poll body of “stealing” elections in collusion with the BJP, claiming that attempts were underway to manipulate the Bihar Assembly polls through Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

‘Vote theft allegations an insult, few leaders misleading voters:’ CEC refutes Oppn’s charge of bias

Amid the row over "vote theft" allegations, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday claimed that people are "dissatisfied" with the Election Commission's working. Speaking to reporters, Akhilesh Yadav said that questions have been raised on the poll body over several elections. He said, "From time to time, fingers have been pointed at the Election Commission, whether it is the election for village head, assembly election, Lok Sabha election, or any other election." "Ensuring free and fair elections and increasing people's trust in the institution is the Election Commission's responsibility... But we are seeing that people are dissatisfied with the way the Election Commission is working," the Samajwadi Party chief said. He claimed that no action was taken even after submitting an affidavit regarding a voter fraud of 18,000 votes. Yadav said, "Recently, the INDIA alliance raised its voice against vote theft, and the result was that even the Supreme Court had to agree with the Opposition's stance. We gave an affidavit regarding a voter fraud of 18,000 votes, but no action was taken. If action is taken against even a single officer of the Election Commission, then there will be no vote theft, vote robbery, or any such looting anywhere." "We have heard reports about people giving their vote in EVMs, and it turns out to be zero. There have been questions on how EMV's battery is fully charged even after being kept for months. So there has been a demand for ballot... Learn from America, Japan and Germany. Germany's Supreme Court said that voting through EVMs will be unconstitutional," SP chief further said. Akhilesh Yadav addressed the reporters after paying a tribute to warrior queen Avantibai Lodhi on her birth anniversary by garlanding her statue in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday shared a spoof video inspired by the film Laapataa Ladies, reiterating the Congress's "vote theft" allegations against the Election Commission and urging people to join the 'Vote Chori se Azaadi' campaign. Sharing the video on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Chori chori, chupke chupke... ab or nahi, janta jag gayi hai, (Secretly, stealthily... No more now, the public has awakened)." The video shows a middle-aged man at a police station submitting a theft complaint. When asked by a policeman, "What has been stolen?" the man hesitates before replying, "Vote." The policeman reacts in shock and asks, "How's this possible?" The video ends with the message, “Theft of your vote is theft of your right.”&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.&nbsp;

Yadav claimed that no action was taken by Election Commission even after submitting an affidavit regarding a voter fraud of 18,000 votes.

Amid the row over "vote theft" allegations, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday claimed that people are "dissatisfied" with the Election Commission's working. Speaking to reporters, Akhilesh Yadav said that questions have been raised on the poll body over several elections. He said, "From time to time, fingers have been pointed at the Election Commission, whether it is the election for village head, assembly election, Lok Sabha election, or any other election." "Ensuring free and fair elections and increasing people's trust in the institution is the Election Commission's responsibility... But we are seeing that people are dissatisfied with the way the Election Commission is working," the Samajwadi Party chief said. He claimed that no action was taken even after submitting an affidavit regarding a voter fraud of 18,000 votes. Yadav said, "Recently, the INDIA alliance raised its voice against vote theft, and the result was that even the Supreme Court had to agree with the Opposition's stance. We gave an affidavit regarding a voter fraud of 18,000 votes, but no action was taken. If action is taken against even a single officer of the Election Commission, then there will be no vote theft, vote robbery, or any such looting anywhere." "We have heard reports about people giving their vote in EVMs, and it turns out to be zero. There have been questions on how EMV's battery is fully charged even after being kept for months. So there has been a demand for ballot... Learn from America, Japan and Germany. Germany's Supreme Court said that voting through EVMs will be unconstitutional," SP chief further said. Akhilesh Yadav addressed the reporters after paying a tribute to warrior queen Avantibai Lodhi on her birth anniversary by garlanding her statue in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday shared a spoof video inspired by the film Laapataa Ladies, reiterating the Congress's "vote theft" allegations against the Election Commission and urging people to join the 'Vote Chori se Azaadi' campaign. Sharing the video on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, "Chori chori, chupke chupke... ab or nahi, janta jag gayi hai, (Secretly, stealthily... No more now, the public has awakened)." The video shows a middle-aged man at a police station submitting a theft complaint. When asked by a policeman, "What has been stolen?" the man hesitates before replying, "Vote." The policeman reacts in shock and asks, "How's this possible?" The video ends with the message, “Theft of your vote is theft of your right.” Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Yadav claimed that no action was taken by Election Commission even after submitting an affidavit regarding a voter fraud of 18,000 votes.

Akhilesh Yadav slams Election Commission, says 'people dissatisfied' with working

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, held a press conference on Wednesday, August 13, at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi to counter the allegations of 'Vote Chori' by Rahul Gandhi. His statements have raised more questions and drawn widespread scrutiny. Thakur presented what he termed as evidence of ‘vote chori’ in several constituencies like Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh), Wayanad (Kerala), Diamond Harbour (West Bengal), Kannauj (Uttar Pradesh), Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh), and Kolathur (Tamil Nadu). He claimed that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, and M.K. Stalin all won the election through the inclusion of ‘doubtful voters’.The Congress Party swiftly responded by questioning the ‘veracity’ of Thakur's claims. Congress leader Pawan Khera said that there is an 'understanding' between the BJP and ECI. He said, "It took us 4-6 months to bring forward this data of one Assembly constituency. They have brought out the data of two Parliamentary constituencies. How did they get it? This proves that they have an understanding with the EC." Pawan Khera went ahead and demanded the electronic voter list of Varanasi. He said that by raising the issues of Waynad and Kannuj, Anurag Thakur has validated the claims of voter irregularities.&nbsp;”Those were the data from Wayanad and Kannauj. He says that there are fake votes there, too. So, he has proven what we have said. Anurag Thakur and BJP are raising the same question on EC that we had raised. So, they have proven what we said," said Pawan Khera.&nbsp;Earlier, BJP IT Department Head Amit Malviya said in a post on X that Sonia Gandhi's name first appeared on the electoral roll in 1980, three years before she could become a citizen of India. The rhetoric is diverting the issue towards whataboutery instead of verifying the authenticity of the electoral process. The Election Commission, instead of restoring the sanctity of the democratic institution, is resorting to a war of words by repeatedly demanding an oath from Rahul Gandhi. ECI said that the use of ‘dirty phrases’ like 'chori' is being done to create a false narrative; ‘one person, one vote’ has been there in India since 1951-52. Rahul Gandhi responded, 'Interestingly, they haven't denied the information.'The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the ECI for its reluctance to publish the deleted voter profiles on the Election Commission website, while hearing petitions challenging the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in poll-bound Bihar. It directed ECI to publish the list of 65 lakh deleted voters and the reason for exclusion with a 30 day window to make corrections. ECI lamented when parties lose election they start blaming the electronic voting machines. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Anurag Thakur sparks controversy with his 'vote chori' presser by alleging voter irregularities in the opposition stronghold, drawing backlash from the opposition and validating voter irregularities.

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, held a press conference on Wednesday, August 13, at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi to counter the allegations of 'Vote Chori' by Rahul Gandhi. His statements have raised more questions and drawn widespread scrutiny. Thakur presented what he termed as evidence of ‘vote chori’ in several constituencies like Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh), Wayanad (Kerala), Diamond Harbour (West Bengal), Kannauj (Uttar Pradesh), Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh), and Kolathur (Tamil Nadu). He claimed that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, and M.K. Stalin all won the election through the inclusion of ‘doubtful voters’. The Congress Party swiftly responded by questioning the ‘veracity’ of Thakur's claims. Congress leader Pawan Khera said that there is an 'understanding' between the BJP and ECI. He said, "It took us 4-6 months to bring forward this data of one Assembly constituency. They have brought out the data of two Parliamentary constituencies. How did they get it? This proves that they have an understanding with the EC." Pawan Khera went ahead and demanded the electronic voter list of Varanasi. He said that by raising the issues of Waynad and Kannuj, Anurag Thakur has validated the claims of voter irregularities. ”Those were the data from Wayanad and Kannauj. He says that there are fake votes there, too. So, he has proven what we have said. Anurag Thakur and BJP are raising the same question on EC that we had raised. So, they have proven what we said," said Pawan Khera. Earlier, BJP IT Department Head Amit Malviya said in a post on X that Sonia Gandhi's name first appeared on the electoral roll in 1980, three years before she could become a citizen of India. The rhetoric is diverting the issue towards whataboutery instead of verifying the authenticity of the electoral process. The Election Commission, instead of restoring the sanctity of the democratic institution, is resorting to a war of words by repeatedly demanding an oath from Rahul Gandhi. ECI said that the use of ‘dirty phrases’ like 'chori' is being done to create a false narrative; ‘one person, one vote’ has been there in India since 1951-52. Rahul Gandhi responded, 'Interestingly, they haven't denied the information.' The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the ECI for its reluctance to publish the deleted voter profiles on the Election Commission website, while hearing petitions challenging the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in poll-bound Bihar. It directed ECI to publish the list of 65 lakh deleted voters and the reason for exclusion with a 30 day window to make corrections. ECI lamented when parties lose election they start blaming the electronic voting machines.

Anurag Thakur sparks controversy with his 'vote chori' presser by alleging voter irregularities in the opposition stronghold, drawing backlash from the opposition and validating voter irregularities.

Vote Chori row- Anurag Thakur’s ‘Vote Chori’ presser lands him in murky political waters

Amidst constant attacks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding fudging voter data, the Election Commission on Thursday (August 14) said rather than resorting to manufacturing false narrative with the help of "dirty words" like 'vote chori' (vote theft), evidence should be produced. In a statement, the EC said the "one person one vote" law is already in place since the first elections in 1951-1952. "If anyone has any proof of any person actually voting twice in any election, it should be shared with ECI with a written affidavit rather than colouring all the electors of India as 'chor' without any proof," it said. &nbsp;The poll body said that attempting to build a false narrative through the employment of "dirty words" such as "vote chori" against Indian voters is not only an attack on the crore of Indian voters directly but also an attack on the integrity of lakhs of election officials.&nbsp;Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha opposition leader, last week referenced data to make the claim that over one lakh votes were 'stolen' in Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha's Mahadevpura assembly constituency in the 2024 elections, leading to the loss of a Congress candidate. The Election Commission had instructed Gandhi to present a written statement in support of his allegations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (August 13) claimed that he had a special experience of sharing tea with some "dead" voters from Bihar and thanked the Election Commission (EC) for it. Seven Bihar voters approached the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha at his residence and narrated their experience of how the EC had declared them "dead" and deleted their names from electoral rolls.&nbsp;“There have been many interesting experiences in life, but I never got the chance to have tea with 'dead people'. For this unique experience, thank you Election Commission!,” Gandhi wrote in a post in Hindi on social media platform X. He also posted a video of his interaction with the "dead" voters. In it, Rahul Gandhi can be heard instructing them to walk around and look at Delhi since the "dead" cannot even be issued tickets.

Stop false narrative and give proof Election Commission slams Rahul Gandhi over voter fraud claims

Amidst constant attacks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding fudging voter data, the Election Commission on Thursday (August 14) said rather than resorting to manufacturing false narrative with the help of "dirty words" like 'vote chori' (vote theft), evidence should be produced. In a statement, the EC said the "one person one vote" law is already in place since the first elections in 1951-1952. "If anyone has any proof of any person actually voting twice in any election, it should be shared with ECI with a written affidavit rather than colouring all the electors of India as 'chor' without any proof," it said. The poll body said that attempting to build a false narrative through the employment of "dirty words" such as "vote chori" against Indian voters is not only an attack on the crore of Indian voters directly but also an attack on the integrity of lakhs of election officials. Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha opposition leader, last week referenced data to make the claim that over one lakh votes were 'stolen' in Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha's Mahadevpura assembly constituency in the 2024 elections, leading to the loss of a Congress candidate. The Election Commission had instructed Gandhi to present a written statement in support of his allegations. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (August 13) claimed that he had a special experience of sharing tea with some "dead" voters from Bihar and thanked the Election Commission (EC) for it. Seven Bihar voters approached the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha at his residence and narrated their experience of how the EC had declared them "dead" and deleted their names from electoral rolls. “There have been many interesting experiences in life, but I never got the chance to have tea with 'dead people'. For this unique experience, thank you Election Commission!,” Gandhi wrote in a post in Hindi on social media platform X. He also posted a video of his interaction with the "dead" voters. In it, Rahul Gandhi can be heard instructing them to walk around and look at Delhi since the "dead" cannot even be issued tickets.

The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, last week cited data to allege that more than one lakh votes were 'stolen' in Mahadevpura assembly constituency of Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha in 2024 elections, resulting in the defeat of a Congress candidate

'Stop false narrative and give proof’: Election Commission slams Rahul Gandhi over 'voter fraud' claims

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been detained by the Delhi Police on Monday (Aug 11). Several INDIA bloc MPs, including Sanjay Raut, and Sagarika Ghose, were also detained as they staged a protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The lawmakers, who began a march from Parliament House to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, were stopped midway near Transport Bhawan. After being detained, Rahul Gandhi spoke to reporters from a Delhi Police van and said that it is a fight to save the Constitution. Former CM of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, was also seen jumping a police barricade during the protest.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The reality is that they cannot talk. The truth is in front of the country. This fight is not political. This fight is to save the Constitution. This fight is for One Man, One Vote. We want a clean, pure voters list,” he added. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the BJP-led government ‘coward’, and added in Hindi, "Dare hue haii."&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, &quot;The reality is that they cannot talk. The truth is in front of the country. This fight is not political. This fight is to save the Constitution. This fight is for One Man, One Vote. We want a clean, pure voters… <a href="https://t.co/Aj9TvCQs1L">pic.twitter.com/Aj9TvCQs1L</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1954800091748864411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The protest by the Opposition leaders came even as the Election Commission of India gave an appointment to Opposition MPs for an interaction at 12 pm on Monday (Aug 11). Due to limitations of the space, the EC had requested to submit the names of up to 30 people along with their vehicle numbers for the meeting.&nbsp;Opposition INDIA bloc MPs led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and floor leaders of other parties began the march to the EC from Parliament at 11.30 am but the Delhi Police said that no permission was sought for the march. Police said that security was tightened and barricades were erected at multiple points along the route.&nbsp;The march comes after Rahul Gandhi in a press conference last week, made explosive claims of a “huge criminal fraud” in polls through “collusion” between the ruling BJP and the EC, as he cited an analysis in a constituency in Karnataka and said it was “a crime against the Constitution”. He claimed that over 1 lakh votes in the Mahadevapura assembly constituency in Karnataka were found to be fake, duplicate, bulk voters, with invalid addresses and new voters added with misuse of Form 6, according to news agency PTI.

Opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, have been detained during the protest march from Parliament House to the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi on Monday.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been detained by the Delhi Police on Monday (Aug 11). Several INDIA bloc MPs, including Sanjay Raut, and Sagarika Ghose, were also detained as they staged a protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The lawmakers, who began a march from Parliament House to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters, were stopped midway near Transport Bhawan. After being detained, Rahul Gandhi spoke to reporters from a Delhi Police van and said that it is a fight to save the Constitution. Former CM of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, was also seen jumping a police barricade during the protest. “The reality is that they cannot talk. The truth is in front of the country. This fight is not political. This fight is to save the Constitution. This fight is for One Man, One Vote. We want a clean, pure voters list,” he added. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the BJP-led government ‘coward’, and added in Hindi, "Dare hue haii."

Opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, have been detained during the protest march from Parliament House to the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi on Monday.

'We want a clean voters list': India's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi detained during protest against Bihar's SIR, Election Commission

Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India and the Bharatiya Janata Party of orchestrating “vote chori” during the 2024 General election and the recent state assembly election. According to Gandhi, specifically in the 'Mahadevapura' assembly segment of Bengaluru Central, 100,250 duplicate voters were found. Other anomalies include duplicate, fake or bulk registration, misuse of Form 6, and invalid photos. This is the same seat which the BJP won by around 30000 votes. According to him, in Maharashtra, 40 lakh voters were created. He also accused the ECI of destroying CCTV footage, withholding machine-readable voter data and shutting down state election websites.<h2>Are Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Chori' claims completely baseless?</h2>Rahul Gandhi's allegations are serious and tap into the broader public fear of electoral manipulation. There had been several independent investigations by the news outlets based on the details of the press conference of Rahul Gandhi. He gave an example of the house no. 35 in Muni Reddy Garden, Mahadevpura, which houses 80 registered voters. Several outlets like India Today, The Print, and Deccan Herald independently visited the address mentioned by Rahul Gandhi. The findings raised serious red flags. The house is occupied by a food delivery agent, Dipankar, from West Bengal, on rent. The house belongs to Jayaram Reddy, who once claimed to be with the BJP but later backtracked.&nbsp;Other independent verifications in Election Commission websites show bizarre findings, like many voters registered with house number zero, multiple voters voting with the same names, same address, a gibberish collection of random letters in the names and illegible microscopic images are present in the Election Commission's voter list. Open source analysis by Peek TV shows that the assembly in Bengaluru Central, which is in the middle of this political storm, has one voter named Gurkirat Singh Dang who is registered in four different polling booths and has four different voter IDs. Similarly, Aditya Shrivastava, a voter, is registered in UP, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.<h2>How did ECI respond?</h2>ECI quickly dismissed all the allegations, calling it a 'tired script' relating it to the previous claims of voter theft in 2018 by Congress leaders that were dismissed by the Supreme Court. &nbsp;It has demanded that Rahul Gandhi should either sign an apology or a formal declaration; refusal to do that means a lack of belief in his claims. The same affidavit-level evidence was asked by the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Election Commission of India cited Registration of Electors Rules 1960, 20(3)(b), a signed oath from Rahul Gandhi.&nbsp;However, according to the rules, the Registration officer doesn't need to seek a signed oath. Similarly, Section 12 states that any complaint must be submitted within 30 days of the publication of the draft roll. Even if Rahul Gandhi signs an oath, the Registration Officer can just refuse to entertain the claims. So why do ECI need an affidavit if they can just deny it? Is it an attempt to buy time to cover up the mess created?It is to be noted that these duplicate voters do not necessarily indicate voter manipulation; these can stem from technical and mechanical errors as well as poor voter synchronisation. But the reaction from the ECI smells fishy. Former Justice of Bombay High Court BG Kolse Patil has criticised ECI's response as overly arrogant, called for Supreme Court intervention to hold them accountable.&nbsp;<h2>Why is ECI reluctant to release electronic voter roll data?</h2>The ECI argues that voter rolls contain sensitive personal data, even though they are available publicly in PDF form. Releasing this in bulk will make it easier for targeted political ads, scams and voter profiling. &nbsp;Moreover, historically, parties have used these data to send campaign messages and botcalls. They often cite Right to Privacy judgments from previous cases and lack of a Data protection infrastructure. But releasing the voter data will make large-scale duplicate audits possible, thus revealing the errors or malpractices. This is exactly the kind of audit that will give Rahul Gandhi's vote theft claim strength in spine. Thus, ECI controls the narrative by limiting access to the electronic voter data.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rahul Gandhi's recent press conference has created a political storm in India, with several irregularities in ECI data questions about fair elections are imminent, as the ruling BJP tries to brush this off. Why is ECI too reluctant to give access to electronic data for an independent audit?

Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India and the Bharatiya Janata Party of orchestrating “vote chori” during the 2024 General election and the recent state assembly election. According to Gandhi, specifically in the 'Mahadevapura' assembly segment of Bengaluru Central, 100,250 duplicate voters were found. Other anomalies include duplicate, fake or bulk registration, misuse of Form 6, and invalid photos. This is the same seat which the BJP won by around 30000 votes. According to him, in Maharashtra, 40 lakh voters were created. He also accused the ECI of destroying CCTV footage, withholding machine-readable voter data and shutting down state election websites. Are Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Chori' claims completely baseless? Rahul Gandhi's allegations are serious and tap into the broader public fear of electoral manipulation. There had been several independent investigations by the news outlets based on the details of the press conference of Rahul Gandhi. He gave an example of the house no. 35 in Muni Reddy Garden, Mahadevpura, which houses 80 registered voters. Several outlets like India Today, The Print, and Deccan Herald independently visited the address mentioned by Rahul Gandhi. The findings raised serious red flags. The house is occupied by a food delivery agent, Dipankar, from West Bengal, on rent. The house belongs to Jayaram Reddy, who once claimed to be with the BJP but later backtracked. Other independent verifications in Election Commission websites show bizarre findings, like many voters registered with house number zero, multiple voters voting with the same names, same address, a gibberish collection of random letters in the names and illegible microscopic images are present in the Election Commission's voter list. Open source analysis by Peek TV shows that the assembly in Bengaluru Central, which is in the middle of this political storm, has one voter named Gurkirat Singh Dang who is registered in four different polling booths and has four different voter IDs. Similarly, Aditya Shrivastava, a voter, is registered in UP, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. How did ECI respond? ECI quickly dismissed all the allegations, calling it a 'tired script' relating it to the previous claims of voter theft in 2018 by Congress leaders that were dismissed by the Supreme Court. It has demanded that Rahul Gandhi should either sign an apology or a formal declaration; refusal to do that means a lack of belief in his claims. The same affidavit-level evidence was asked by the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Election Commission of India cited Registration of Electors Rules 1960, 20(3)(b), a signed oath from Rahul Gandhi. However, according to the rules, the Registration officer doesn't need to seek a signed oath. Similarly, Section 12 states that any complaint must be submitted within 30 days of the publication of the draft roll. Even if Rahul Gandhi signs an oath, the Registration Officer can just refuse to entertain the claims. So why do ECI need an affidavit if they can just deny it? Is it an attempt to buy time to cover up the mess created? It is to be noted that these duplicate voters do not necessarily indicate voter manipulation; these can stem from technical and mechanical errors as well as poor voter synchronisation. But the reaction from the ECI smells fishy. Former Justice of Bombay High Court BG Kolse Patil has criticised ECI's response as overly arrogant, called for Supreme Court intervention to hold them accountable. Why is ECI reluctant to release electronic voter roll data? The ECI argues that voter rolls contain sensitive personal data, even though they are available publicly in PDF form. Releasing this in bulk will make it easier for targeted political ads, scams and voter profiling. Moreover, historically, parties have used these data to send campaign messages and botcalls. They often cite Right to Privacy judgments from previous cases and lack of a Data protection infrastructure. But releasing the voter data will make large-scale duplicate audits possible, thus revealing the errors or malpractices. This is exactly the kind of audit that will give Rahul Gandhi's vote theft claim strength in spine. Thus, ECI controls the narrative by limiting access to the electronic voter data.

Rahul Gandhi's recent press conference has created a political storm in India, with several irregularities in ECI data questions about fair elections are imminent, as the ruling BJP tries to brush this off. Why is ECI too reluctant to give access to electronic data for an independent audit?

Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Chori’ claim strengthened by independent findings of voter roll irregularities, ECI criticised for data secrecy

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced the delisting of 334 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs).&nbsp;Of the 2,854 RUPPs, 2,520 remain. This delisting exercise is part of a comprehensive and continuous strategy of the Election Commission to clean up the electoral system.&nbsp;"The Commission, after considering all the facts and recommendations of the CEOs, has delisted 334 RUPPs. Now, out of the total of 2854 RUPPs, 2520 are remaining," EC said in a statement, adding, "These RUPPs will now not be eligible to avail any benefit under the provisions of Section 29B and Section 29C of the RP Act, 1951 read with the relevant provisions of the Income Tax Act,1961 and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. Any party aggrieved by this order can appeal to the Commission within 30 days of the order."&nbsp;The Election Commission stated that there are six national parties and 67 state parties registered with the ECI. According to the guidelines for registering political parties, a party that does not contest elections continuously for six years will be removed from the list of registered parties.&nbsp;Earlier, in June 2025, ECI had directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to conduct verification enquiries of 345 RUPPs regarding compliance with the said conditions.&nbsp;The CEOs conducted enquiries, issued show-cause notices to these RUPPs and provided each party an opportunity to respond and present their case through personal hearings.&nbsp;"Thereafter, based on reports of the CEOs, 334 RUPPs out of the total of 345 RUPPs have been found not complying with the above conditions. The remaining cases have been referred back to the CEOs for reverification," the statement read.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the EC today reiterated that it has not received a single claim or objection from any political party regarding the draft electoral rolls in Bihar.&nbsp;"So far, after over a week since the beginning of the Claims &amp; Objections period, not even a single claim or objection has been submitted by any political party," EC said.&nbsp;The window to submit claims and objections to rectify any errors on draft electoral rolls opened on August 1.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Earlier, in June 2025, ECI had directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to conduct verification enquiries of 345 RUPPs regarding compliance with the said conditions.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced the delisting of 334 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs). Of the 2,854 RUPPs, 2,520 remain. This delisting exercise is part of a comprehensive and continuous strategy of the Election Commission to clean up the electoral system. "The Commission, after considering all the facts and recommendations of the CEOs, has delisted 334 RUPPs. Now, out of the total of 2854 RUPPs, 2520 are remaining," EC said in a statement, adding, "These RUPPs will now not be eligible to avail any benefit under the provisions of Section 29B and Section 29C of the RP Act, 1951 read with the relevant provisions of the Income Tax Act,1961 and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. Any party aggrieved by this order can appeal to the Commission within 30 days of the order." The Election Commission stated that there are six national parties and 67 state parties registered with the ECI. According to the guidelines for registering political parties, a party that does not contest elections continuously for six years will be removed from the list of registered parties. Earlier, in June 2025, ECI had directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to conduct verification enquiries of 345 RUPPs regarding compliance with the said conditions. The CEOs conducted enquiries, issued show-cause notices to these RUPPs and provided each party an opportunity to respond and present their case through personal hearings. "Thereafter, based on reports of the CEOs, 334 RUPPs out of the total of 345 RUPPs have been found not complying with the above conditions. The remaining cases have been referred back to the CEOs for reverification," the statement read. Meanwhile, the EC today reiterated that it has not received a single claim or objection from any political party regarding the draft electoral rolls in Bihar. "So far, after over a week since the beginning of the Claims & Objections period, not even a single claim or objection has been submitted by any political party," EC said. The window to submit claims and objections to rectify any errors on draft electoral rolls opened on August 1. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Earlier, in June 2025, ECI had directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories to conduct verification enquiries of 345 RUPPs regarding compliance with the said conditions.

334 registered unrecognised political parties delisted by Election Commission

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