Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations of Voter Fraud

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi recently accused the Election Commission of India of voter fraud, claiming that 80 individuals were registered to vote from a single 120 sq foot room in Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura area. This allegation was part of a broader critique against the Election Commission, which Mr. Gandhi claims has been complicit in voter ID fraud, allegedly benefiting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to Mr. Gandhi, this purported fraud cost the Congress party 1.02 lakh votes and resulted in losing the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 elections.

Room Owner Refutes Claims

Jayaram Reddy, the owner of the room in question, has refuted Mr. Gandhi’s allegations. In an interview with NDTV, Mr. Reddy stated that Mr. Gandhi was “confused” about the situation. He clarified that his tenants are typically migrant laborers who stay for short periods, usually six months to a year, and obtain voter ID cards based on their rental agreements. These tenants often move on to other locations for better job opportunities but continue to use the address for their voter IDs.

Political Affiliations and Middlemen

Mr. Reddy also addressed claims about his political affiliations, asserting his support for the Congress party and denying any links to the BJP. He further explained that middlemen or ‘agents’ facilitate obtaining voter IDs for migrants, sometimes even for individuals from neighboring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Election Commission’s Response

The Election Commission has dismissed Mr. Gandhi’s accusations as “absurd” and challenged him to provide proof under oath. They criticized his presentations at opposition meetings as misleading and demanded a self-signed affidavit if he truly believes in his allegations.

Political Reactions

The BJP has responded with skepticism, with spokesperson Amit Malviya accusing Mr. Gandhi of engaging in political theatrics to undermine trust in a constitutional body responsible for conducting free and fair elections.