Electoral Controversy Unfolds: Kharge and Gandhi Criticize ECI Amidst Voter Deletion Allegations

In a political firestorm, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has confronted the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of protecting individuals allegedly involved in erasing legitimate voters from electoral rolls. Kharge praised Rahul Gandhi for unveiling what he described as systematic vote deletion in Karnataka's Aland constituency.

Kharge raised pointed questions about the poll body's conduct, querying whether the Bharatiya Janata Party is undermining institutions that safeguard democracy and if the country can endure a compromised electoral system. He has demanded transparency over claims that unauthorized voter deletions are occurring nationwide.

In a related development, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot spotlighted the case of Godabai, a voter whose name, along with 12 others, was removed from the register through a fake login. Gehlot noted that phone numbers used in these deletions originated from outside Karnataka, heightening suspicions of orchestrated fraud.

During a press briefing, Rahul Gandhi alleged insider cooperation within the ECI in exposing electoral fraud, asserting that misinformation about voter registration is increasingly being combated. Gandhi also criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for supposedly shielding the fraudulent practice.

Accusations that selective voter purges target opposition-friendly communities, including Dalits and minorities, have been made by Gandhi, who claims to possess irrefutable evidence of such strategies. However, the Election Commission has firmly rejected these allegations as baseless, emphasizing that no online deletions can occur without due process.

(With inputs from agencies.)