Congress Intensifies Pressure on Election Commission Over Alleged Voter Deletions in Aland
Congress has escalated its accusations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), following claims by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi about mass deletions of voter names in Karnataka’s Aland constituency. The party says it has uncovered compelling evidence of irregularities in the electoral roll ahead of the 2023 assembly elections.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that in Aland, roughly 6,018 names were submitted for deletion through online applications using forms known as Form 7. He claimed the deletions were part of a coordinated effort, possibly using software and mobile numbers registered outside Karnataka, and that the deletions targeted booths where Congress had strong support. Gandhi says that these attempts were caught because a booth-level officer discovered that her uncle’s name had been removed and traced who had made the application. He also asserted that many of those affected did not receive notices and were unaware that anyone had objected to their names being on the rolls.
In response, the Karnataka Chief Election Officer (CEO) issued a statement defending the process. According to the CEO, all 6,018 deletion applications were examined after being submitted online via apps such as NVSP, VHA, and GARUDA. Of those, only 24 were found genuine and approved; 5,994 were rejected as incorrect or deceitful. An FIR was filed in February 2023 in Aland Police Station in Kalaburagi district to investigate the claims of wrongful deletion; all available technical information was handed over for probes.
Meanwhile, the ECI has dismissed the broader allegations raised by Congress as “incorrect and baseless.” It asserted that no deletion can occur without due verification and proper notice, and that no member of the public can unilaterally delete votes online without going through required procedural checks.
Amid the controversy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asked the Chief Election Commissioner to respond within a week, reportedly demanding details such as IP logs, device information, and OTP trails related to the alleged deletion applications.
The issue has sparked political tension, with both sides pointing to legal provisions and standard operating procedures. The matter continues to attract scrutiny from within Karnataka and nationally, particularly regarding how electoral rolls are maintained, verified, and protected from alleged misuse.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that in Aland, roughly 6,018 names were submitted for deletion through online applications using forms known as Form 7. He claimed the deletions were part of a coordinated effort, possibly using software and mobile numbers registered outside Karnataka, and that the deletions targeted booths where Congress had strong support. Gandhi says that these attempts were caught because a booth-level officer discovered that her uncle’s name had been removed and traced who had made the application. He also asserted that many of those affected did not receive notices and were unaware that anyone had objected to their names being on the rolls.
In response, the Karnataka Chief Election Officer (CEO) issued a statement defending the process. According to the CEO, all 6,018 deletion applications were examined after being submitted online via apps such as NVSP, VHA, and GARUDA. Of those, only 24 were found genuine and approved; 5,994 were rejected as incorrect or deceitful. An FIR was filed in February 2023 in Aland Police Station in Kalaburagi district to investigate the claims of wrongful deletion; all available technical information was handed over for probes.
Meanwhile, the ECI has dismissed the broader allegations raised by Congress as “incorrect and baseless.” It asserted that no deletion can occur without due verification and proper notice, and that no member of the public can unilaterally delete votes online without going through required procedural checks.
Amid the controversy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asked the Chief Election Commissioner to respond within a week, reportedly demanding details such as IP logs, device information, and OTP trails related to the alleged deletion applications.
The issue has sparked political tension, with both sides pointing to legal provisions and standard operating procedures. The matter continues to attract scrutiny from within Karnataka and nationally, particularly regarding how electoral rolls are maintained, verified, and protected from alleged misuse.