Alleged Voter Fraud in Bengaluru: Rahul Gandhi’s Claims Spark Political Controversy
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Bengaluru, India – August 2024:
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has accused the Election Commission of allowing large-scale voter fraud in Bengaluru during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at a press conference, Gandhi alleged that multiple voters—sometimes as many as 80—were registered under a single, small residential address.
According to Gandhi, one such example was found at Booth No. 366, where he claimed that a single-room house had 80 registered voters linked to it. He further alleged that when his team visited the location, none of the listed voters could be found, and local residents reportedly said they had never seen those individuals.
India Today’s Ground Investigation
India Today’s South Bureau Editor, Sagaye Raj, visited the address in question—located in Muni Reddy Garden, in the heart of Bengaluru. The investigation revealed that the property is extremely small, estimated to be just 10 to 15 square feet, and currently houses a single food delivery agent named Dipankar, who moved in only a month ago.
Dipankar, originally from West Bengal, told the team he had no knowledge of the 80 registered voters and had no connection to them. He confirmed that he is not on the Bengaluru voter list and is registered as a voter in West Bengal.
The property is owned by Jayaram Reddy, who initially admitted to having links with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but later retracted his statement. Reddy also admitted that many former tenants had registered their voter IDs using his address over the past decade but never updated their details when they moved out.
Opposition Questions the Pattern
The Congress party has questioned the plausibility of 80 tenants living in the property over the past 10 years—arguing that this would mean a tenant turnover every one to two months, an unusual pattern for voter registration purposes. They have also raised concerns over whether short-term tenants can legitimately change their voter registration to such a temporary address.
Congress leaders allege that this pattern amounts to "voterless fraud"—a manipulation of voter rolls intended to benefit the BJP in tightly contested constituencies.
Election Commission’s Response
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has responded by stating that if Rahul Gandhi or any complainant has evidence, they should file a sworn affidavit so the matter can be investigated formally. The ECI has dismissed some of Gandhi’s allegations as “misleading,” while maintaining that the integrity of the voter list is monitored and updated regularly.
Political Fallout
The allegations have intensified the political debate in Karnataka, with the Congress party demanding a deeper probe into Bengaluru’s voter rolls. Rahul Gandhi has remained firm on his claims, continuing to highlight the issue through public events, social media posts, and press conferences.
Meanwhile, the BJP has not issued an official detailed rebuttal to the specific case of the Muni Reddy Garden address, but party members have accused the opposition of trying to discredit the electoral process without substantial proof.
Key Points:
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Rahul Gandhi alleges large-scale voter registration anomalies in Bengaluru.
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India Today’s investigation found only one current resident at the disputed address.
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Property owner admits to voter registrations from former tenants who no longer live there.
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Congress accuses BJP of benefiting from “voterless fraud.”
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Election Commission urges formal complaints with affidavits before acting.