In a politically charged move, Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, has launched the ‘Vote Chori’ campaign aimed at ensuring “clean voter rolls” and fair elections in India. The
In a politically charged move, Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, has launched the ‘Vote Chori’ campaign aimed at ensuring “clean voter rolls” and fair elections in India. The campaign features a dedicated website votechori.in and a helpline number to encourage citizens to report alleged voter list discrepancies and instances of voter fraud.
This step comes after Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of India (EC) of “vote theft”, claiming that several citizens’ names appeared multiple times on voter lists, enabling double voting. His allegations have sparked a war of words between Congress and the EC, drawing national attention as the country moves towards key state and national elections.
Rahul Gandhi recently alleged that lakhs of voter IDs are duplicated and that certain individuals have cast votes more than once. During a press conference, he presented documents that, according to him, were sourced from the Election Commission’s own records. One of his key examples was Smt. Shakun Rani, whom he claimed had voted twice based on “polling officer records.”
However, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka has strongly disputed these claims. In a formal letter dated August 10, the CEO stated that the documents Gandhi showcased were not issued by any polling officer and that preliminary investigations indicated no double voting by Shakun Rani.
The Election Commission has demanded that Rahul Gandhi either provide concrete documentary evidence supporting his allegations or issue a public apology for defaming the poll body. Officials stressed that the EC’s credibility and impartiality are paramount, and unsubstantiated accusations could erode public trust in the electoral process.
The Karnataka CEO also directly addressed the Shakun Rani case, stating:
The controversy has intensified with the INDIA Alliance—a coalition of opposition parties—announcing a march from Parliament to the EC headquarters to protest alleged Systematic Irregularities in the Register (SIR) and voter list anomalies. This demonstration is scheduled for tomorrow morning and aims to put pressure on the EC for greater transparency.
Rahul Gandhi has framed the issue as part of a broader fight for democracy, urging citizens to join the ‘Vote Chori’ campaign through the votechori.in website and helpline. Congress leaders argue that the EC must proactively remove duplicate voter entries and ensure that electoral rolls are accurate ahead of upcoming polls.
The confrontation between Congress and the EC highlights a wider debate over electoral integrity in India. Voter list accuracy is crucial for maintaining public trust, and allegations of double voting—whether proven or not—can influence political narratives.
The ‘Vote Chori’ campaign seeks to mobilize public vigilance, but it also risks escalating tensions between the government, the EC, and opposition forces. While Congress pushes its narrative of safeguarding democracy, the EC is focused on defending its neutrality and process integrity.
FAQs
The ‘Vote Chori’ campaign is a Congress-led initiative launched by Rahul Gandhi to raise awareness about alleged voter list irregularities and promote fair elections in India.
The official website is votechori.in. The campaign also features a helpline number for citizens to report voter list issues.
Rahul Gandhi claims that voter rolls contain duplicate entries, allowing individuals to vote more than once. He cited specific examples, including the case of Smt. Shakun Rani.
The EC and the Karnataka CEO have denied the allegations, stating that preliminary inquiries show no double voting and that the documents Gandhi presented are not official EC records.
INDIA Alliance MPs plan to march from Parliament to the EC headquarters to protest alleged voter list irregularities and demand cleaner electoral rolls.
