Rahul Gandhi Claims 65 Lakh Extra Voters in 2 Hours in Maharashtra, Calls EC ‘Compromised’; Commission Hits Back

In a fiery address to the Indian diaspora in Boston, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, stirred political controversy by accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of being “compromised.” Citing what he called “statistical impossibilities” in the Maharashtra assembly elections, Gandhi raised questions about the integrity of India’s electoral process.

While speaking at a public event, Gandhi alleged that during the last assembly elections in Maharashtra, the voter turnout figures shot up dramatically within just two hours—by over 65 lakh (6.5 million) voters. He questioned the credibility of such a sharp rise in voter count within such a short timeframe, suggesting that the numbers defied logic and raised serious doubts about electoral transparency.

“More people voted in Maharashtra than the total number of people in Maharashtra, and this is a fact… the Election Commission gave us a figure at around 5:30 p.m., and by 7:30 p.m., 65 lakh more people had voted. This is physically impossible,” Gandhi said, according to a report by ANI.

“It’s very clear to us that the Election Commission is compromised. There is something very wrong with the system,” he added, intensifying his charge.

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Election Commission Responds, Rejects Allegations

In response, the Election Commission of India strongly refuted the allegations, calling them baseless and unsupported by facts. Officials pointed to the standard procedure of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of the electoral rolls, a transparent annual exercise designed to update the voter list across all states.

According to EC sources cited by ANI, during the latest SSR published on January 6–7, 2025, hardly any objections or formal appeals were made regarding voter entries in Maharashtra. Under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, citizens can appeal against discrepancies in the electoral rolls. But the Commission noted that only 89 such appeals were filed across the entire state.

“During the Special Summary Revision, just 89 appeals were recorded in Maharashtra. This is despite the fact that there were 13.8 million Booth Level Agents (BLAs) nationwide. The minimal number of objections suggests that the process was widely accepted as accurate,” said an EC official.

The Special Summary Revision is a periodic mechanism undertaken by the Election Commission to ensure that electoral rolls are up-to-date. It includes the addition of new voters (those turning 18), deletion of duplicate and deceased voters, and corrections of voter data.

The Commission also reiterated that the electoral rolls published after the SSR exercise were accepted without dispute and met all legal and procedural requirements. Therefore, the allegations of voter manipulation or artificial inflation of numbers, they argued, do not hold water.

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Debate Over Election Integrity Continues Amid Allegations and Defenses

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks have sparked fresh debate around the credibility of India’s democratic institutions, particularly the Election Commission, which has often faced scrutiny from opposition parties over alleged biases. While the Commission has firmly denied any wrongdoing and defended its processes as transparent and constitutionally sound, Gandhi’s statements have added fuel to ongoing political tensions.

The contrasting narratives underscore the growing distrust between political stakeholders and independent institutions. With no immediate elections scheduled, the episode reflects a larger battle over public perception, institutional integrity, and accountability in Indian democracy.