Cong alleges ‘loot of democracy’; 947 voters listed under one house number

The Congress has stepped up its criticism over alleged irregularities in Bihar’s voter list, pointing out that as many as 947 voters in Nidani village of Bodh Gaya were listed under the same house number. The party questioned whether this represented a new method of undermining democracy.

Through a post on X, Congress suggested that the situation served as evidence of democracy being “stolen” and accused the Election Commission of performing what it described as “magic in Bihar.”

In a post on X, the party pointed out that 947 voters all listed as living under house No. 6 in Nidani.

“In Nidani village, Bodh Gaya (Booth No. 161, Barachatti Assembly), the EC has shown a miracle, 947 voters have been listed under the same house number (House No. 6),” the party alleged.

In reality, the Congress claimed, Nidani has “hundreds of houses and families, but in the list, the entire village has been crammed into one fictional house.”

“How did the BLO conduct door-to-door verification? Why were the real house numbers removed from the voter list? Who is benefiting from this?,” the party asked.

The party said that the mistake was not ordinary and called it a “mockery in the name of transparency.” They said that when house numbers are erased, it becomes easy to hide fake voters, duplicates, and ghostly identities, PTI reported.

“If 947 voters in a small village can be dumped at the same address, imagine the scale of irregularities in Bihar and across India,” it warned, adding, “As Rahul Gandhi ji keeps saying, ‘Democracy is being stolen.’ Nidani is a living proof of this.”

The post also asked for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Gupta to respond, asking, “Does the entire Nidani village really live in one house, or is this a new way to loot democracy?” the party demanded accountability.

Rahul Gandhi reposted the tweet saying, “See the EC’s magic, an entire village settled in one house.”

Congress leader Pawan Khera took to X to launch a pointed criticism at the Chief Electoral Officer. He wrote, “There’s a buzz in every street, Gupta ji… you are a wise person, from a respected family. You can still leave behind a good legacy.”

Hinting at the BJP, he added, “What’s with them? Their days in power are numbered. Don’t tarnish the name of your past and future seven generations by getting involved with them.”

On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi stepped up his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of remaining silent when genuine wrongdoing is exposed. Gandhi, currently leading the 16-day Voter Adhikar Yatra from Sasaram in poll-bound Bihar, has alleged widespread “vote theft” across the country.

The 1,300-km march will end in Patna on September 1 with a major INDIA alliance rally. His remarks come after he accused the BJP of manipulating results in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by creating 1,00,250 fake votes in Bangalore Central, where the party won by a margin of 32,707 votes, Maktoob Media reported.

Gandhi has repeatedly alleged collusion between the Election Commission and the ruling BJP.

The Election Commission had ordered a “special intensive revision” of Bihar’s voter list ahead of the Assembly polls, requiring those absent from the 2003 electoral roll to submit proof of eligibility.

The move has sparked controversy, particularly over Clause 5(b), which empowers officials to refer “suspected” voters to citizenship authorities. Critics argue this could function as a “backdoor NRC” and risk disenfranchising vulnerable groups, including Dalits, OBCs, migrant workers, and Muslims.