Election Commission Refutes Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations of Voter Deletions, Details Verification Process

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday issued a detailed clarification in response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claims of wrongful deletion and manipulation of voters. The poll body categorically stated that no member of the public can delete votes online, and all deletions follow a strict legally mandated verification process.

In a press release, the ECI explained that while Form 7 can be submitted online to request the deletion of an elector’s entry, such submissions do not result in automatic deletion. “As per the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, no name is deleted without issuing a notice to the affected person and giving him an opportunity to be heard,” the statement read.

The Commission provided examples from Aland in Karnataka, where 6,018 online deletion applications were filed via Form 7. Upon scrutiny, only 24 applications were found to be genuine, while 5,994 were rejected as incorrect. Due to the unusually high number of false submissions, an inquiry was initiated, and an FIR was registered at Aland Police Station on February 21, 2023. Critical details such as names of objectors, EPIC numbers, mobile numbers, IP addresses, and submission metadata were handed over to authorities. The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka has been providing continuous support to the investigation.

Similarly, in Rajura, Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, the ECI received 7,792 applications for new voter registration, of which 6,861 were found invalid and rejected. Suspecting foul play, an FIR was filed by Rajura Police following an inquiry by the Electoral Registration Officer.

Reiterating its commitment to free and fair elections, the ECI emphasized that all entries in the Electoral Roll are strictly governed by law. “Any correction, deletion, or inclusion in the Electoral Roll can always be made as per procedure laid down in law,” the press note stated.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday intensified his attack on the Commission, accusing CEC Gyanesh Kumar of protecting powers responsible for “destroying democracy.” Citing data from a Karnataka assembly seat, Gandhi claimed that votes of Congress supporters were deliberately deleted using software that impersonated voters, with mobile numbers from outside the state linked to fraudulent deletions. According to him, an automated program picked the first name in the booth list for such manipulations.