Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, accused the Election Commission and the BJP of colluding in vote theft, specifically citing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar. Speaking during the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Araria, Bihar, Gandhi labeled the SIR as an “institutionalised way” to steal votes. He alleged a partnership between the ECI and the BJP, noting the lack of response to the Opposition’s complaints about deleted voter names and the BJP’s silence on the matter. He affirmed the Opposition’s commitment to prevent the BJP and ECI from undermining the electoral process in Bihar. Gandhi emphasized the success of the ‘Yatra’ as a demonstration of the public’s belief in claims of vote manipulation, and criticized the Election Commission for not ensuring accurate voter lists in several states, including Maharashtra, Haryana, and Karnataka. Gandhi asserted the need to reform the Election Commission’s behavior and prevent electoral fraud in Bihar. He also criticized the Election Commission for not pursuing an affidavit from Union Minister Anurag Thakur, despite similar accusations made by Thakur. Gandhi suggested that the media is aware of the ECI’s allegiances. The ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra’ is a 16-day march, led by opposition parties against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
