Karnataka Minister and prominent Congress leader Priyank Kharge, alongside Aland MLA B. R. Patil, have vehemently accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, of attempting to obscure and mislead the public regarding the ongoing investigation into alleged voter fraud in Aland from 2023. Their allegations follow a significant press conference held by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on September 18.
The Hindu was the first to report on how the investigation into attempts to illegally remove 5,994 voters from the Aland electoral rolls using falsified Form 7 applications had stalled. A key reason for this stagnation was the ECI’s reported failure to provide crucial technical data to investigators, a matter first brought to light on September 7.
For context: An explanation of Rahul Gandhi’s accusations against the Election Commission regarding vote theft was previously reported.
Responding to questions as to how the case in Aland amounted to ‘vote chori’ (vote theft), especially since voter names were ultimately not deleted and Mr. Patil successfully won his seat in the 2023 Assembly polls, Mr. Patil offered a compelling analogy. He stated, “Just because we intervened in time and recovered the stolen goods, it doesn’t mean a theft didn’t occur. We’ve found what was stolen, but the thief remains at large, and that’s precisely what we’re fighting for. This is a grave instance of a criminal attempt to disenfranchise voters and manipulate elections. The ECI’s lack of cooperation is effectively shielding the culprits.”
Mr. Kharge systematically refuted the ECI and CEO Karnataka’s official responses. He clarified that Rahul Gandhi never claimed voter names were deleted online, but rather that fraudulent applications were made online. “Voter names cannot be deleted online, and we never asserted they were. However, applications for deletion can be made online. In this specific case, the Returning Officer (RO) for the Aland constituency officially filed a police complaint, confirming that out of 6,018 Form 7 applications received, a staggering 5,994 were forged,” he explained.
He strongly contested the CEO Karnataka’s assertion that all requested information had been shared with investigators by September 6, 2023. Mr. Kharge pointed out that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had, in fact, sent 18 subsequent letters requesting “Destination IPs and Destination Ports” related to the sessions where these fraudulent Form 7s were generated.
He further revealed two letters from the CEO Karnataka’s office, dated February 4, 2025, and March 14, 2025, addressed to the Principal Secretary, ECI, explicitly forwarding CID’s requests for these unshared technical details. “If all data was provided in September 2023, why were these letters necessary in 2025?” he questioned.
Mr. Patil, who initiated the expose in February 2023, further criticized the CEO Karnataka’s statement, which suggested verification was conducted out of inherent suspicion regarding the large number of online deletion applications. “This is simply untrue,” Mr. Patil asserted. “I was alerted to these forged Form 7s by a party worker whose name was targeted for deletion. I lodged a complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner on February 10, 2023, followed by numerous voter complaints on February 13. My official complaint to the CEO, Karnataka on February 20 prompted the Aland Returning Officer to file the FIR. Their action was a direct consequence of my complaints, not an independent discovery.”
Mr. Kharge underscored his point by quoting from the FIR, which stated the complainant’s inquiry, spurred by Mr. Patil’s initial complaint, revealed that 5,994 out of 6,018 Form 7 applications were indeed fraudulent.
Why the BJP’s Swift Defense of ECI?
Priyank Kharge also raised concerns about the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) immediate and strong reactions to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations against the Election Commission. He questioned why various BJP leaders felt compelled to respond to questions directed specifically at the ECI, asking pointedly, “Is the BJP now acting as the official spokesperson for the ECI?”
Special Investigation Team to Probe Aland Case
In a significant development, Aland MLA B. R. Patil confirmed that he had formally requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to thoroughly investigate the alleged voter fraud in Aland. Minister Priyank Kharge further announced that the matter was discussed during a cabinet meeting on September 18, and an SIT would be constituted promptly to take over the probe.