Full Breakdown
Rahul Gandhi Accuses Election Commission of Rigging Indian Elections
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On 24 September 2026, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi held a press conference at Indira Bhawan, New Delhi. He alleged that the 2024 Lok Sabha election, all state assembly polls, and the forthcoming 2025-2026 elections were “rigged.” Gandhi demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling him a “traitor,” and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the CEC of “destroying” India’s vote and Constitution. The remarks came amid a row over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Background & Context
The SIR exercise, launched in June 2023, seeks to delete ineligible or deceased voters from the rolls. *The Indian Express* reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally objected to Commission decisions at least 14 times over ten months. The Commission later said all decisions, including those on SIR, were taken unanimously. Gandhi framed his accusations around anti-incumbency, citing historical swings in several states and arguing that the BJP no longer faces that force.
Timeline
- 21 Dec 2023 – Reference to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.
- 7 Feb 2025 – Maharashtra press conference on “vote-chori.”
- 17 Feb 2025 – Dissent note on CEC appointment.
- 7 Aug 2025 – “Mahadevapura vote-chori” disclosure.
- 1 Sep 2025 – Voter-Adhikar Yatra.
- 18 Sep 2025 – Aland “vote-chori” allegation.
- 28 Oct 2025 – Point from which two Election Commissioners began opposing Kumar.
- 5 Nov 2025 – Haryana “vote-chori” allegation.
- 23 Sep 2026 – Media report on internal EC differences.
- 24 Sep 2026 – Gandhi’s press conference demanding CEC resignation.
- 29 Sep – Congress Working Committee meeting (scheduled).
Data & Statistics
- 14 formal objections by Sandhu and Joshi.
- 20 elections lost by the BJP since 2014, according to BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari.
- Anti-incumbency benchmarks cited by BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi: Congress has not returned to power in Tamil Nadu since 1967, West Bengal since 1977, Bihar since 1990, Uttar Pradesh since 1989, and Odisha since 1999.
Official Statements & Responses
- Rahul Gandhi said “vote-chori” destroys the Constitution and urged Kumar to “turn approver” as an act of nationalism.
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar (via the EC) maintained that all SIR-related decisions were unanimous and that internal observations are normal.
- Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP national spokesperson, dismissed Gandhi’s anti-incumbency claim as “zero wisdom.”
- Pradeep Bhandari, BJP spokesperson, called the press conference a “damp squib” and highlighted the BJP’s loss of 20 elections since 2014.
Criticism & Opposition
BJP leaders labelled Gandhi’s allegations unfounded. Trivedi argued anti-incumbency remains strong against Congress, while Bhandari called Gandhi’s statements “lies” and pointed to the BJP’s electoral record as evidence of continued competition.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Objection count: The Indian Express reported 14 formal objections by two Election Commissioners.
- Nature of dissent: Gandhi presented the objections as evidence of manipulation; the Commission described them as routine internal queries, leaving a gap in independent verification.
What’s Next
The Congress Working Committee is set to meet on 29 September to deliberate on the Election Commission controversy. Further legal or parliamentary actions may follow depending on that meeting’s outcomes.