Rahul Gandhi Ramps Up Demand for Electoral Transparency, Seeks Timeline from EC for Voter Data
In a move that adds momentum to the debate on electoral transparency, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish a definitive timeline for releasing voter rolls in a machine-readable digital format.
His appeal comes after the poll body agreed to share the electoral rolls following sustained pressure from the Opposition.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi termed the ECI’s move a “good first step,” but pressed for clarity:
“Can the EC please announce the exact date by which this data will be handed over in a digital, machine-readable format?” he posted.
The demand follows Gandhi’s strongly worded op-ed in The Indian Express, where he alleged serious electoral irregularities in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections — polls that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won with a comfortable majority.
Gandhi has claimed that the elections were not free and fair, describing a suspicious spike in voter numbers within a short span as “evidence of match-fixing.”
He pointed to official figures to bolster his allegation. According to Gandhi, Maharashtra had 8.98 crore registered voters in the 2019 Assembly elections. That number rose to 9.29 crore for the May 2024 Lok Sabha polls — an increase of 31 lakh over five years.
However, within just five months, the voter count allegedly surged to 9.70 crore for the November 2024 Assembly elections — a leap of 41 lakh. Gandhi contended that the final voter number even surpassed the state’s adult population of 9.54 crore, as per government estimates.
“This raises serious concerns about fake voters and possible electoral manipulation,” Gandhi wrote.
The Election Commission responded with a point-by-point rebuttal, dismissing the allegations and defending the integrity of the voter registration process.
However, election strategist and Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor weighed in, saying that the ECI should go further in addressing public concerns.
Speaking to reporters in Begusarai, Bihar, Kishor said,
“The Congress is the principal opposition party, and Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha. The EC must take these concerns seriously and respond with full transparency.”
Kishor noted that Gandhi had not raised the issue in passing but had articulated it formally through written articles and speeches, including in Parliament.
The ECI’s rebuttal has not quelled the calls for deeper transparency. As Kishor pointed out, any lingering doubts about the electoral process could erode public trust and damage the foundations of India’s democracy.
With key state elections looming, the demand for greater electoral accountability is expected to remain a dominant theme in political discourse. For the Congress, this issue is quickly becoming a central plank in its post-election strategy — one aimed at questioning the legitimacy of the NDA’s recent electoral victories and pushing for institutional reform.
