‘Atom Bomb’ proof against election commission: Rahul Gandhi; EC says baseless

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged large-scale voter list manipulation that could permanently damage the institution’s credibility

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that his party had uncovered an “atom bomb” of evidence against the Election Commission of India (ECI), amid the escalating row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that over 10 million voters were fraudulently added to the rolls. (PTI)

Alleging large-scale voter list manipulation that could permanently damage the institution’s credibility, Gandhi, while talking to the media outside Parliament, said, “We dug deep because the EC wasn’t helping. What we found is an atom bomb. When it explodes, you won’t be able to see the Election Commission in India.”

The Election Commission hit back, saying, “EC ignores such baseless allegations being made every day and, despite the daily threats, advises all election officials working in an impartial and transparent manner to not pay attention to such irresponsible statements.”

Gandhi alleged that over 10 million voters were fraudulently added to the rolls.

“There was a suspicion in the elections in Madhya Pradesh and the Lok Sabha, and it deepened in the Maharashtra assembly polls. At the state level, we believed there was a vote theft,” Gandhi said. “It took us six months to study this in detail.”

Accusing ECI officials of committing “treason,” Gandhi added, “Whoever is doing this, from top to bottom in the ECI, we won’t spare you. You’re working against the nation. This is treason.”

The Congress has repeatedly accused the ECI of acting like a “biased umpire,” particularly in its handling of the 2024 general election and multiple assembly polls. On July 23, Gandhi had hinted that the party had uncovered the method “how votes were being stolen.”

The latest accusation comes amid a broader protest by the INDIA bloc over the SIR of Bihar’s electoral rolls, which they claim is a BJP-backed attempt to disenfranchise voters.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also blamed the poll body, saying, “With the cooperation of the Election Commission, the BJP’s master plan to deprive crores in Bihar of their voting rights now seems to be ensnaring them. Forcibly disenfranchising the poor, Dalits, backwards — this is the BJP-RSS conspiracy.”

Following a joint strategy meeting, the INDIA bloc parties on Thursday announced they will intensify their protests — both in and outside Parliament.

The ECI published the draft electoral rolls for Bihar on Friday.