Rahul Gandhi accuses RSS-BJP of undermining right to vote

During a Lok Sabha debate on electoral reforms, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that the RSS and the BJP were trying to weaken the basic right to vote, a move he characterised as anti-national. He cautioned that a future government would change the law retrospectively” and “come looking for” those responsible.

Gandhi listed what he considers key elements of meaningful electoral reform and criticised the Election Commission of India for not addressing the Opposition’s concerns, suggesting that the institution had effectively come under the influence of the ruling party.

He raised several questions, including why the Chief Justice of India was removed from the selection panel for appointing Election Commissioners. Gandhi remarked that although he is formally part of the committee, he has “no real say” in its decisions. He also pointed to a 2023 amendment that shields Election Commissioners from liability for actions taken while in office, something he said earlier governments never attempted.

Additionally, he challenged a rule issued on May 30, 2025, that permits CCTV footage from polling stations to be deleted 45 days after election results. He questioned the logic behind altering the rule and disposing of such footage so quickly, Maktoob Media reported.

He maintained that electoral reforms were very simple but alleged that the government had no intention of implementing them.

Among his suggestions were giving political parties access to the full voters’ list one month before polling, retaining CCTV footage instead of deleting it, allowing parties access to EVM architecture, and strengthening the Election Commission’s accountability.

Gandhi accused the Election Commission of acting in tandem with those in power to tilt the electoral process in the government’s favour. He alleged that election dates were being structured around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign schedule and pointed to what he described as extensive irregularities in voter rolls.

He also said the EC had yet to clarify why lakhs of duplicate voters existed across states, including around 1.2 lakh in Bihar. Calling vote manipulation the most serious “anti-national act,” he argued that compromising the integrity of the vote destroys the foundation of the country. He added that “vote theft” amounted to an anti-national act allegedly committed by those on the government side.

Gandhi further claimed that the RSS was deliberately attempting to take control of all key institutions, a remark that drew strong objections from Treasury bench members.

In response, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government had allocated substantial time for a constructive debate on electoral reforms, but Gandhi was misusing it. Speaker Om Birla reminded MPs to maintain order.

Gandhi countered that the core issue under discussion was “votes”, “vote theft”, and the role of the ECI.

He went on to claim that universities, the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate, and other bodies had been placed under the control of individuals aligned with RSS ideology.