Rahul Gandhi says President did not deny vote theft claims
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A delegation of opposition leaders met President Droupadi Murmu and submitted a four-point memorandum.
The opposition alliance INDIA has demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of the voter list, the return of ballot papers in elections, and a review of the elections held in the last two years. On Friday, a delegation of opposition leaders met President Droupadi Murmu and submitted a four-point memorandum to her. The memorandum raised allegations of irregularities in the electoral process and ‘vote theft’, appealing to the President for intervention.
The opposition parties allege that the functioning of the Election Commission and discrepancies in the voter list are affecting the democratic system. The delegation urged the President to ensure accountability of the Election Commission and take steps to protect the constitutional rights of voters.
The memorandum submitted to the President by the INDIA alliance accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of undermining the electoral system and the country’s democratic framework. It stated that opposition MPs represent more than 60 percent of the country’s population and have approached the President with serious concerns regarding the electoral process.
According to the memorandum,
the opposition claims that there has been large-scale ‘vote theft’ in several elections, depriving millions of Indians of their constitutional voting rights. Allegations of rigging have been made in the assembly elections of Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Delhi, and West Bengal. The opposition also claimed that electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter lists were manipulated in several other assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
The memorandum states that,
under Article 326 of the Indian Constitution, the right to vote is the foundation of representative democracy. The Election Commission is the guardian of this right, not its owner. The opposition stated that the Commission should be accountable to the Constitution, not to political leadership.
It also alleged that,
the Chief Election Commissioner made false statements before the Supreme Court to hide irregularities. The opposition demanded transparency and accountability in the electoral process, stating that no constitutional institution should have the freedom to change rules, evade accountability for its decisions, or silence those who question.
The memorandum presented to the President by the INDIA alliance includes four main demands.
1. Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar: The opposition has demanded the removal of Gyanesh Kumar or his resignation. Additionally, there is a demand to repeal the 2023 law that provides legal protection to the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners concerning their official duties. The memorandum criticizes this protection, describing it as lifelong immunity.
2. Immediate halt to SIR and restoration of removed names: The opposition has demanded an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of voter lists. The alliance claims that 13.30 crore voters' names have been illegally removed. It has demanded the immediate restoration of all these names in the voter list. This figure is claimed in the opposition's memorandum.
3. Demand for elections using ballot papers: The INDIA alliance has demanded the restoration of paper ballots in all elections instead of electronic voting machines. The opposition argues that it is essential to address the questions raised about the voting system to maintain public trust in the electoral process.
4. Demand to annul elections held in the last two years: The opposition has demanded the annulment of all assembly elections held in the last two years, where, according to them, decisive evidence of ‘vote theft’ has emerged.
At the end of the memorandum, an appeal was made to the President, stating that when other avenues seem closed regarding questions related to democracy, the people of the country look to the presidency as the final guardian of the Constitution. The opposition urged the President to take decisive steps to protect the Constitution and secure citizens' voting rights.
After the meeting with the President, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of conspiring to weaken Indian democracy.
Rahul Gandhi stated that,
he informed the President that evidence of vote theft is before the country and that elections have been influenced in various states. According to him, the President did not dismiss the opposition's allegations but asked them to provide evidence to support their claims.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also stated that,
the delegation raised the demand for elections using ballot papers before the President. He mentioned that the President has requested evidence to support the allegations of ‘vote theft’, and the opposition will provide it.
Rahul Gandhi also announced that,
the INDIA alliance will approach the Supreme Court on Monday. He stated that opposition leaders will meet the Chief Justice of India to present the memorandum submitted to the President. Rahul Gandhi reiterated that the alliance believes that irregularities in the electoral process have affected elections in several states.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee emphasized opposition unity after meeting with the President. She said,
“We are united, we are very strong, and we represent more than 60 percent of the people.”
This meeting took place after three consecutive days of protests by the INDIA alliance in Delhi. The opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and raising questions about the SIR process.
Following reports of internal disagreements among election commissioners regarding decisions related to the revision of the voter list, the opposition has intensified its accusations. However, the Election Commission maintains that its orders are issued under established legal and statutory procedures.
In the wake of this development, political disputes regarding the accountability of the Election Commission, the revision of the voter list, and the voting system are expected to escalate. Attention will now be on what evidence the opposition presents to support its allegations and what steps are taken at the level of the President and the Supreme Court regarding this matter.