On Thursday, September 18, 2025, the Election Commission of India (ECI) unequivocally stated that the allegations leveled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of protecting ‘vote thieves,’ are entirely incorrect and baseless.
The ECI emphasized that ‘allegations made by Rahul Gandhi are incorrect and baseless.’ It further clarified that no member of the public can unilaterally delete votes online, a misunderstanding attributed to Gandhi’s claims.
The Election Commission firmly asserted that no deletion of a voter’s name can occur without first providing the affected individual with an opportunity to be heard, ensuring a transparent and fair process.
Mr. Gandhi’s accusations included claims that Chief Election Commissioner Kumar was safeguarding ‘vote thieves’ and individuals undermining democratic processes. He supported these claims by presenting data from a Karnataka Assembly constituency, suggesting that votes belonging to Congress supporters were being systematically removed from the electoral rolls in anticipation of upcoming elections.