Political alliance: Sharad Pawar discusses his collaboration with nephew Ajit Pawar
In a bold move, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of colluding with the BJP to manipulate results in the upcoming 2024 elections, specifically in 48 Lok Sabha seats. The seats in question include Karnataka's Mahadevapura and Bengaluru Central.
Gandhi presented detailed proof during a PowerPoint presentation at a dinner meeting, which was attended by political heavyweights like Sharad Pawar, Farooq Abdullah, Uddhav Thackeray, and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The presentation concerned the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which Gandhi described as an "institutionalized chori."
However, the ECI has repeatedly fact-checked Gandhi’s allegations, stating that they require genuine evidence submitted via formal affidavit for a proper inquiry. Notices have been issued to Gandhi through various Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) requesting him to provide relevant documents or signed declarations to substantiate his claims about double voting and voter roll anomalies within 10 days.
The ECI has stressed that "One Person, One Vote" is a fundamental principle enshrined in Indian election law since independence. They have condemned the use of phrases like "vote chori" without proof as an assault on their staff's integrity. They have also labeled a document cited by Gandhi alleging a specific voter voted twice as fake and demanded credible proof instead.
Regarding Sharad Pawar's position, no verified update on his comments regarding these allegations or the ECI's response is available from the retrieved data. However, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar stated that Gandhi's presentation was well-researched and well-documented.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, led by Sharad Pawar, has admitted that they should have been more careful before the elections in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, the opposition is yet to decide its stand on the upcoming Vice-Presidential election scheduled for September 9.
This controversy has caused an unnecessary stir, with Uddhav Thackeray attending the dinner meeting hosted by Rahul Gandhi at the centre of it all. As the issue unfolds, the ECI and the political parties involved are expected to respond further.
The Congress party's latest policy-and-legislation strategy, as presented by Rahul Gandhi, centers around allegations of election manipulation and voter roll anomalies in the upcoming 2024 elections, specifically in 48 Lok Sabha seats. These claims have sparked a debate within the realm of general-news politics, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) requesting detailed evidence from Gandhi regarding these allegations.
