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The Rae Bareli MP alleged that the total number of voters surpassed adult population of Maharashtra, raising questions about legitimacy of data PTC Web Desk: During his official visit to the United States, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi delivered a sharp critique of the Election Commission of India, describing it as "compromised" and raising concerns over the transparency of the country’s electoral process. While addressing the Indian diaspora in Boston, Rahul Gandhi pointed to the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections to support his claims, suggesting that voter turnout figures were suspiciously inflated within a very short time frame. According to Rahul Gandhi, "The Election Commission gave a voting figure at 5.
30 pm, and between 5.30pm and 7.30 pm, 65 lakh additional votes were cast.
It is physically impossible." He elaborated that based on the average time taken per vote, polling stations would have needed to stay open until 2 am to accommodate those numbers — something that did not occur. Furthering his argument, the Rae Bareli MP alleged that the total number of voters surpassed the adult population of Maharashtra, raising questions about the legitimacy of the data.
He also criticised the Election Commission for refusing to provide videographic evidence and accused it of changing regulations to avoid accountability. “They not only denied the videography request but also altered the law so such requests can no longer be made,” he stated. This latest critique forms part of what has become a recurring pattern in Rahul Gandhi's rhetoric — challenging the impartiality of Indian democratic institutions while abroad.
“Something is very wrong with the system,” he remarked, reinforcing his position on the alleged flaws within the election framework. The BJP quickly responded to Rahul Gandhi's remarks with fierce criticism. BJP spokespersons accused him of attempting to tarnish India's global democratic image due to his political frustrations.
BJP leader Jaiveer Shergill commented, “Rahul Gandhi suffers from ECS — Entitled Child Syndrome. Blaming Indian democracy abroad is his addiction.” Pradeep Bhandari, another BJP leader, described Rahul Gandhi as "anti-democracy and anti-India," accusing him of undermining Indian institutions to compensate for his inability to gain electoral trust.
BJP MP Sambit Patra stated that he had a history of criticising the country on foreign platforms and reminded the public of his ongoing legal issues. "Those out on bail think they can defame this great democracy,” Patra added. Congress and its allies, part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (which includes Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena [UBT] and Sharad Pawar’s NCP), had earlier alleged voter list manipulation in the Maharashtra elections.
However, the Election Commission dismissed those accusations as "misleading" and "factually incorrect." Aside from domestic politics, Rahul Gandhi also spoke on India-US relations during his speech in Boston, emphasising the significance of the bilateral partnership. “We share a partnership with the United States, and I hope we continue to work together,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to the Indian community for upholding Congress ideals abroad, saying, “Thank you for carrying the flag here — it’s a powerful thing.” - With inputs from agencies.
