Ahead of a planned protest on August 5, 2025, in Bengaluru over alleged electoral roll manipulation in the Mahadevapura constituency, former Congress minister H Nagesh has urged Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to provide a copy of a complaint he claims was submitted in April 2023, detailing forged voter list entries. In a letter dated July 31, Nagesh stated, “This issue is of grave concern as it affects the transparency and fairness of the electoral process,” but admitted the Congress party misplaced the document and lacks a copy.

The CEO’s office, in a response dated August 2, denied receiving any such complaint, with Joint Chief Electoral Officer Yogeshwar S stating, “This office does not have records of any such letter received from you during April 2023.” The official noted that certified electoral rolls were provided to all candidates, including Nagesh, during the 2023 Assembly elections and are available online. He further highlighted that Nagesh did not pursue legal remedies under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 or 1951, such as filing an election petition or appealing against the 2023 electoral roll entries.

The Congress party alleges large-scale electoral fraud in Mahadevapura and other constituencies during the 2023 elections, claiming thousands of bogus names were added and genuine voters deleted to sway results. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is expected to join the August 5 protest to demand accountability.

The controversy underscores ongoing tensions over electoral integrity, with the Congress accusing authorities of undermining the democratic process in Karnataka.

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