Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of withholding critical information that he claims is protecting those behind an alleged voter fraud scheme in Karnataka. In a fiery post on X on September 7, 2025, Kharge questioned whether the ECI has become the "BJP’s back-office for vote chori," referencing a media report that suggests the ECI’s refusal to share vital data has stalled a probe into voter suppression ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.
Kharge alleged that the Congress exposed a sophisticated operation in Aland constituency, where thousands of voters were stripped of their rights through forged Form 7 applications. “In February 2023, a case was filed, and the probe uncovered 5,994 forged applications—clear evidence of massive voter fraud,” he stated. The Congress-led Karnataka government subsequently ordered a CID investigation to identify the perpetrators. However, Kharge claimed that while the ECI initially provided some documents, it is now “stonewalling” crucial evidence, effectively shielding those responsible.
“Why has the ECI suddenly blocked vital evidence? Who is it protecting? BJP’s Vote Chori department? Is the ECI bending under BJP pressure to derail the CID probe?” Kharge demanded, raising concerns about the impartiality of the poll body. The ECI has not yet responded to these allegations, though it has previously dismissed similar claims by Congress as baseless.
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The controversy centers on an alleged attempt to delete voters from electoral rolls before the May 2023 elections, which Kharge described as a deliberate attack on democratic rights. He emphasized that protecting the individual’s right to vote is essential to safeguarding Indian democracy. As the CID probe remains stalled without the ECI’s cooperation, the accusations have intensified scrutiny on the poll body’s role and its transparency in addressing electoral irregularities. The issue is likely to fuel further political tensions as Congress continues to press for accountability.
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