"Election Commission is compromised", says Rahul Gandhi at Boston diaspora meet; BJP calls him 'anti-democracy'

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, in a meeting in Boston addressing the Indian Diaspora, alleged that the Election Commission (EC) in India was "compromised", further stating that there was something very wrong with the system. Citing the example of the Maharashtra elections, the Senior Congress leader stated that there was an addition of 65 lakh voters to the voter list in two hours, which was impossible. "More people voted in Maharashtra than the total number of people in Maharashtra, and this is a fact... the Election Commission gave us a figure in the evening around 5:30 p.m., and in two hours around 7:30 p.m., 65 lakh voters had voted, which is physically impossible..." he claimed, addressing the meeting. "It's very clear to us that the Election Commission is compromised, there is something very wrong with the system..." he further said. Earlier, sources in the Election Commission stated that allegations made by Political parties about manipulated electoral rolls were unfounded.

According to the sources, hardly any first or second appeals were made under Section 24 of the Representation of People act, or correction of any entries in Electoral Rolls (Section 22) or Inclusion (Section 23) during the recent Special Summary Revision published on January 6-7 2025. The Special Summary Revision (SSR) involves reviewing the voter list and unveiling a draft electoral roll. It is often held prior to elections and aims to uphold a just and transparent voting process by adding newly eligible voters, including those who have reached the age of 18 or have changed their constituency. It also involves the elimination of duplicate and deceased voters According to sources, just 89 appeals were recorded in Maharashtra. While there were 13,857,359 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in the country only 89 appeals for changes in the electoral rolls were made. Therefore, the sources said, there was no option but to accept the Electoral Rolls published after the completion of SSR in January 2025 as undisputed by all. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi also spoke about India's relations with the United States in his address to the diaspora in Boston, hoping that the two countries would continue to work together. "We have a partnership with the US, and hopefully we will continue to work together," Rahul Gandhi said. Expressing his gratitude, he thanked the people for carrying the ideologies and the flag of Congress to the United States. "You believe, you listen to other people, and you respect them. This is what runs in the Congress party and in our family.... Thank you for carrying the flag here, it's a very powerful thing to do..." he said. The LoP in the Lok Sabha is also to address the Brown University on Monday as part of his tour to the United States.

The BJP took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remark on the Election Commission in his meeting at Boston. Party Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari stated that Rahul could not win the trust of the Indian electorate and has started to question the Indian democratic process on foreign soil. In a post on X, Bhandari wrote, "Anti Democracy, Anti India Rahul Gandhi, who could not win the trust of the Indian electorate, begins to question the Indian democratic process on a foreign soil." Bhandari also questioned why Rahul Gandhi defamed India on foreign soil, further stating that he was an agent of George Soros, who was fighting the Indian state. "Why does Rahul always defame India on foreign soil? An agent of George Soros who is fighting the Indian state - that's what Rahul Gandhi's intent today is," the post further reads. Another BJP spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, also criticised Rahul Gandhi's speech, saying that it showed Rahul Gandhi had also started speaking against the nation while speaking against the PM. "Rahul Gandhi's identity is to humiliate Indian organisations and institutions on foreign soil. He goes abroad and makes comments on India's Constitution, judiciary, and questions the Election Commission of India (ECI). This shows how people, while going against PM Modi, have started going against the country," Shehzad Poonawalla said. The BJP's criticism follows after Rahul Gandhi, while addressing the diaspora in Boston, alleged that the Election Commission (EC) in India was "compromised," further stating that there was something fundamentally wrong with the system. Citing the example of the Maharashtra elections, the Senior Congress leader stated that there was an addition of 65 lakh voters to the voter list in two hours, which was impossible." More people voted in the Maharashtra Assembly elections than there are adults in the state of Maharashtra. The Election Commission provided us with a voting figure for 5:30 PM, and between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM, 65 lakh voters cast their votes. This is physically impossible to happen. For a voter to vote, it takes approximately 3 minutes. If you do the Math, it would mean that there were lines of voters until 2 AM, but this did not happen. When we asked them for the videography, they not only refused but they also changed the law so that now we are not allowed to ask for the videography," he claimed, addressing the meeting. "It's very clear to us that the Election Commission is compromised, and there is something very wrong with the system. I have said this multiple times, " he further said. Earlier, sources in the Election Commission stated that allegations made by Political parties about manipulated electoral rolls were unfounded. According to the sources, hardly any first or second appeals were made under Section 24 of the Representation of People act, or correction of any entries in Electoral Rolls (Section 22) or Inclusion (Section 23) during the recent Special Summary Revision published on January 6-7 2025. The Special Summary Revision (SSR) involves reviewing the voter list and unveiling a draft electoral roll. It is often held prior to elections and aims to uphold a just and transparent voting process by adding newly eligible voters, including those who have reached the age of 18 or have changed their constituency. It also involves the elimination of duplicate and deceased voters. According to sources, just 89 appeals were recorded in Maharashtra. While there were 13,857,359 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in the country only 89 appeals for changes in the electoral rolls were made. Therefore, the sources said, there was no option but to accept the Electoral Rolls published after the completion of SSR in January 2025 as undisputed by all.