**Election Commission Dismisses Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Deleted Using Software’ Allegations**

*By Chanshimla Varah | Sep 18, 2025, 01:27 PM*

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has categorically dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent allegations of voter list manipulation as “incorrect and baseless.” The Commission emphasized that votes cannot be deleted online and that any attempt to do so is firmly checked through established procedures.

During a press conference held on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi claimed that 6,018 votes were targeted for deletion from Karnataka’s Aland Assembly constituency using software and phone numbers originating from outside the state. He also accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of colluding with those involved in these activities.

Gandhi further voiced his concerns on Twitter, stating, “CEC Gyanesh Kumar needs to stop protecting the people who are destroying Indian democracy. We have given you 100% bulletproof proof here. EC has to release this data of these phones, these OTPs, within a week.” He added that similar manipulations were attempted in other states, mentioning, “In Rajura, Maharashtra, 6,815 targeted voters were added. In Aland, we caught deletions; in Rajura, we got additions, but the basic idea is the same. It’s the same system that is doing this. It’s doing it in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, UP.”

**Election Commission’s Clarification**

Responding to these allegations, the ECI clarified that no voter’s name can be removed from the electoral rolls without giving the affected individual an opportunity to be heard. While acknowledging some unsuccessful attempts to delete electors in Aland, the Commission said these attempts were flagged internally, and an FIR has been filed in the matter.

The Commission also stressed that field verification is mandatory for any removal of voter names, effectively debunking Gandhi’s claim of a “call center-type modus operandi” being used to manipulate the rolls.

**Allegations of Voter Deletions in Congress Strongholds**

Rahul Gandhi claimed that deletions were concentrated in Congress strongholds and highlighted a woman named Godabai, whose name was allegedly used to create fake logins for deleting voters. However, the ECI pointed out that the Aland constituency was won by Congress candidate BR Patil in the 2023 elections, contradicting the narrative of targeted deletions harming Congress.

This press conference marks the second in Rahul Gandhi’s series of allegations accusing the Election Commission of facilitating “vote chori” (vote theft). In an earlier conference on August 7, he accused the ECI of colluding with the BJP to manipulate electoral outcomes.

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The Election Commission stands by its commitment to free and fair elections, reiterating that all procedures related to voter rolls are conducted transparently and with due process.
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