RAHUL ALLEGATIONS ROCK EC: ALL EYES NOW ON SUPREME COURT
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent explosive allegations—backed, according to him, with “fool proof evidence”—have reignited the national debate on electoral integrity and raised serious questions about the conduct of the Election Commission of India (ECI). His claims, centred around massive irregularities and alleged electoral fraud during the Special Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, have deepened the parliamentary stalemate for the third week.
Gandhi has accused the ECI of facilitating large-scale duplication and fraudulent voter entries to benefit the ruling BJP, urging the judiciary to take Suo-motu cognizance of the issue. “The ball is now in the court of the Supreme Court,” he remarked during a press interaction, calling upon the apex court to issue a notice to the ECI under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.
Instead of responding directly to the serious allegations, the ECI has shifted focus, demanding that Rahul Gandhi make his charges under oath. Political observers and legal experts have widely interpreted this move as a deflection. “It’s a classic diversionary tactic,” said a senior constitutional scholar. “The commission must answer the core allegations, not challenge the whistle-blower to prove them on oath.”
One of the top constitutional experts and former Lok Sabha Secretary General P.D.T. Achary has weighed in on the controversy, asserting that the issue is not about questioning the autonomy of the Election Commission but about its accountability under law. “This is a gross violation of the Representation of the People Act, which was passed by Parliament to ensure free and fair elections,” Achary stated, supporting the Opposition’s demand for a full parliamentary discussion on the role of the Election Commission.
Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc has intensified its offensive, announcing plans for a nationwide movement to “expose” what it calls “the erosion of electoral democracy.” The opposition is also demanding that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and his predecessor Rajiv Kumar publicly declare—under oath—that the revised electoral rolls are free of fraudulent entries.
Allegations have also emerged that the ECI is reluctant to release full CCTV footage from voter enrolment centres, which, according to the Opposition, may contain evidence of organized malpractices.
As tensions escalate, legal experts and former election officials are calling for an independent probe. “If the allegations are false, the Election Commission has nothing to fear,” said a retired Election Commissioner. “But if they are true, this goes to the heart of democracy.”
With pressure mounting from both Parliament and civil society, all eyes are now on the Supreme Court to act decisively.
