Election Scam Row: Rahul Gandhi’s Explosive Claims on Vote Theft and Political Donations

 Here’s the latest information about election scams and irregularities that Rahul Gandhi has been highlighting (2024–2025):

 

1. Electoral Roll Tampering

 

 On August 27, 2025, Rahul Gandhi alleged that large-scale voter list manipulation took place in 70–80 Lok Sabha constituencies across India, not just in “Karnataka Central.”

* He promised to release concrete proof of fake and missing voters, suggesting that millions of names were either deleted or shifted to benefit the ruling party.

* The Election Commission (EC) asked him to submit evidence on oath, warning against “baseless allegations.”

  *(Source: TOI – [Rahul alleges roll tampering

 

 2. Mysterious 4,300 Crore Donations

 

* Rahul flagged a report that 10 little-known political parties in Gujarat received *₹4,300 crore in donations (2019–2024).

* These parties fielded only 43 candidates but officially declared just 39 lakh in spending, while their audit reports showed 3,500 cror expenditure.

* Rahul accused the EC of ignoring these irregularities and demanded a full probe into the source of funds.

  *(Source: TOI – [Rahul flags 4,300 cr

 

 3. “Vote Chori” (Vote Theft) Allegations

 

* Earlier in 2024–2025, Rahul Gandhi released videos claiming “systematic vote theft”by the ruling party.

* He alleged that Congress volunteers collected data showing mismatches between actual voters and electoral rolls.

* The EC countered by saying he must file an affidavit with evidenceor withdraw the accusations.

  (Source: TOI – [Vote 'chori' video](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/vote-chori-charge-rahul-drops-new-video-on-how-congress-investigated-reveals-what-the-data-shows/articleshow/123180498.cms))

 

 

 

4.Electoral Bonds Issue

 

 Rahul has also repeatedly attacked the Electoral Bonds Scheme, calling it the “world’s biggest scam.

 He claims it was designed to funnel corporate black money into BJP accounts secretly.

After the Supreme Court struck down electoral bonds (Feb 2024), data released by SBI revealed massive donations linked to big corporates and alleged quid pro quo contracts.

 

 

In summary:

Rahul Gandhi is focusing on two major alleged scams:

 

1. Manipulation of voter rolls and vote theft(crores of fake/deleted voters).

2. Illicit political funding, especially the 4,300 crore to obscure Gujarat-based parties and the wider electoral bonds scanda.

 

Introduction

India’s democracy is witnessing a storm of controversy as Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, has launched scathing allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ruling party, centering on two major themes: *vote theft*—or “vote chori”—and *suspicious political donations*. His claims, spanning tampered voter rolls to ₹4,300 crore of funding to obscure political entities, have ignited heated political debate and judicial attention.

 

1. The "Vote Chori" Controversy: Voter Rolls Under Fire

 

1.1. Alleged Voter Roll Manipulation

 

On August 7, 2025, Rahul Gandhi delivered what he called an “atom bomb” of revelations: electoral rolls in the Mahadevapura assembly segment (Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha seat) contained over 1 lakh dubious entriesElection Scam Row: Rahul Gandhi’s Explosive Claims on Vote Theft and Political Donations—duplicate names, fake addresses, and invalid photos. He accused the ECI of colluding to rig elections through such manipulation. ([The Indian Express][1], [Wikipedia][2])

 

Simultaneously, he raised concerns over the **Special Intensive Revision (SIR)** in **Bihar**, branding it a new form of institutional “vote theft” that disproportionately struck voter registrations in opposition-favoring areas. ([The Times of India][3], [The Independent][4], [Wikipedia][2])

 

1.2. Political Mobilization: The Voter Adhikar Yatra & Public Pushback**

 

Following these allegations, Rahul Gandhi launched the **“Voter Adhikar Yatra”** across Bihar on **August 17, 2025**, a sixteen-day campaign to spotlight voter roll irregularities. The yatra drew massive crowds, especially in regions like Munger, Bhagalpur, Araria, and Katihar, and featured slogans like **“Vote Chor Gaddi Chhodd”** (Reject the vote thief). ([The Times of India][5])

 

He also rallied citizens via an online portal, encouraging them to support demands for **digital voter rolls** and register complaints. ([The Times of India][6])

 

1.3. ECI's Rebuttal: Fact Checks and Legal Challenges**

 

The **Election Commission** swiftly hit back. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar dismissed the “vote chori” phrase as defamatory and demanded Rahul Gandhi substantiate his claims with a **signed affidavit under oath**—per Rule 20(3)(B) of the Registration of Electors Rules—or publicly apologize. ([The Times of India][7], [Wikipedia][2], [India Today][8], [Raman Media Network][9])

 

For instance, Rahul’s claim about a 70-year-old voter, **Shakun Rani**, allegedly voting twice, was debunked by the ECI: Rani had voted only once; the document he presented wasn’t issued by a polling officer. ([www.ndtv.com][10])

 

The ECI also explained the presence of “house number zero” in addresses and duplicate entries as administrative artifacts—not fraud. ([India Today][8], [The Independent][4])

 

1.4. Legal and Societal Fallout**

 

On **August 14, 2025**, the **Supreme Court** ordered the ECI to publish, district-wise and booth-wise, the **65 lakh voter names removed** in Bihar’s SIR draft—along with reasons for deletions—and allow voter objections via Aadhaar or approved documents. ([Wikipedia][11])

 

Politically, several opposition parties—including MNS’s Raj Thackeray and Congress leaders like B. Ramanath Rai—have supported Rahul’s claims, demanding transparency and an investigation. Rai cited anomalies in Bengaluru where 80 voters were listed at a single room. ([The Times of India][12])

 

Meanwhile, around 300 opposition leaders, including Rahul, were detained during protests in Delhi against the EC’s perceived inaction. ([Reuters][13])

 

2. Political Donations Under Scrutiny: The ₹4,300 Crore Mystery**

2.1. The Alarming Figures**

On **August 27, 2025**, Rahul Gandhi flagged a media report indicating that **10 obscure political parties in Gujarat** received a staggering 4,300 crore** in donations between **2019–20 and 2023–24. The anomaly: these parties fielded only **43 candidate*, garnered a mere **54,069 votes**, and officially declared just 39.02 lakh** in spending—despite audit reports indicating they spent **3,500 crore**. ([The Times of India][14])

 

2.2. Demand for ECI Inquiry**

 

Rahul called upon the Election Commission to investigate the **source and purpose** of these funds. He questioned: *Who is behind these parties? Where did the funds vanish? Is the ECI complicit or silent?* ([The Times of India][14])]

 

3. Reconciling Two Big Allegations: Threads in Rahul’s Strategy**

 

3.1. Undermining Electoral Integrity**

 

Rahul’s twin campaigns appear designed to spotlight systemic electoral discrepancies:

 

* **Vote theft** allegations challenge the ECI’s competence and loyalty to democratic ideals.

* **Political funding anomalies** highlight loopholes that could be misused to manipulate outcomes.

 

Together, these charges aim to cast the ECI and ruling machinery as compromised.

 

3.2. Legal Pressure & Public Mobilization**

 

By refusing to sign affidavits and instead going public with his claims, Rahul is opting for political theater over procedural validation. It’s a high-stakes strategy that blends legal confrontation with mass mobilization through rallies, digital outreach, and media shock value.

 

3.3. Transparency vs. Secrecy**

 

At the heart of these allegations lies India’s need for **transparent electoral data**—be it digital voter lists or disclosure of funding sources. Rahul’s demands—and ECI’s pushback—spotlight a growing public debate around electoral transparency.

 

4. What Comes Next**

* **Supreme Court orders** may compel the ECI to open up its voter data—giving citizens and parties tools to verify roll integrity.

 

* The **ECI’s response**—whether to investigate the ₹4,300 crore saga or uphold its immunity claim—will shape public perception of institutional accountability.

 

* The evolving **Bihar elections** and civic responses to Rahul’s Yatra will be a litmus test of his message’s resonance with voters.

 

Conclusion

 

Rahul Gandhi’s “Election Scam Row” is not just a political salvo—it is a direct challenge to India’s electoral framework. By merging **vote theft claims** with **political finance irregularities**, he seeks to galvanize public demand for integrity in democratic processes. Whether this gambit leads to genuine reform or deeper political polarisation remains to be seen. What is clear is that India’s electoral watchdog is under unprecedented scrutiny—and so is the health of its democracy.

 

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