New Delhi: A political storm erupted on Monday after senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of concealing large-scale voter list deletions in poll-bound Bihar.
His sharp criticism came after the ECI, in a recent affidavit, stated there was no legal provision requiring it to publish a separate list of deleted names from the draft electoral roll.
Calling the Commission’s stance an attempt to mask “voter fraud,” Surjewala took to social media platform X to allege deliberate obfuscation. “Isse kehte hai – chori aur seenachori,” he wrote, targeting the poll body over its refusal to release details of approximately 65 lakh voters whose names were removed from the list.
The Congress leader claimed that the ECI had declined to share the identities of those affected, the reasons for the deletions, or the complete list itself.
He further charged that the constitutional authority was hiding behind “procedural smokescreens” and “fake technicalities,” branding it the “Election Capture of India.”
“When confronted with evidence of mass manipulation of voter rolls, the Election Commission seeks to hide the ‘voter fraud’ with lame excuses and puerile legalese,” Surjewala alleged in another post.
Rahul Gandhi: “Fight to Protect Democracy”
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also weighed in, accusing the ruling government and ECI of attempting to undermine the democratic process.
Speaking ahead of a planned march to the ECI headquarters, Gandhi claimed that INDIA bloc MPs had been stopped and detained by the Delhi Police.
“The truth of vote theft is before the country. This fight is not political – it is a fight to protect democracy, the Constitution, and the right to ‘one person, one vote,’” he said. He called for a “clean voter list” and vowed that the opposition would secure this “right at all costs.”
The INDIA bloc, comprising opposition parties united against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar is being misused to manipulate voter rolls ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.
Detentions and Street Protests
The day saw high drama on the streets of Delhi. A protest march by opposition MPs from Parliament House to the Election Commission’s office was halted less than a kilometre from its destination.
The Delhi Police stopped the march on Parliament Street, prompting several MPs to stage a sit-in near the Press Trust of India building, shouting slogans and demanding the rollback of the SIR.
Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior leaders including Jairam Ramesh were among those detained. They were taken by bus to the Parliament Street police station.
Other notable leaders detained included Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, TMC MP Sagarika Ghose, and several other opposition figures.
Priyanka Gandhi Labels Government “Cowards”
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined the chorus of criticism, accusing the Modi government of fear and political cowardice. “The Modi government is scared, they are cowards,” she said, condemning the detention of MPs during what she described as a peaceful protest.
Medical Emergency During Protest
The protest also saw a health scare when Trinamool Congress MP Mitali Bagh collapsed amid the heated demonstrations. She was promptly assisted by Rahul Gandhi and other MPs before being escorted to the hospital for medical attention.
Ruling Party Supporters Hit Back
While opposition leaders framed the protests as a battle for democratic rights, critics from the ruling party’s camp accused the INDIA bloc of opportunism. Some argued that the opposition was more interested in political gains than genuine electoral reforms, questioning why they did not challenge the ECI’s position through legal channels.
“They are sore losers only looking at their own selfish interests. If they are so concerned, why not file under oath and follow due process?” one government supporter remarked, also accusing the opposition of disregarding constitutional norms they claimed to defend.
The Bihar Context
Bihar is scheduled to go to polls in the near future, and the SIR process—intended to clean up electoral rolls—has come under scrutiny after the opposition’s claim that an unusually large number of voters have been removed without adequate transparency.
The ECI, however, maintains that the process follows established legal provisions and that there is no statutory requirement to publish separate lists of deletions.
Opposition’s Demand
The INDIA bloc has made it clear that they will continue to press for:
- The complete list of all 65 lakh deleted voters.
- The specific reasons for each deletion.
- A rollback of the current SIR process in Bihar.
They argue that without these disclosures, the electoral process in Bihar risks being compromised, with potential disenfranchisement of genuine voters.
What Lies Ahead
With both sides refusing to budge— the ECI standing firm on procedural grounds, and the opposition demanding full disclosure— the issue appears set to remain a flashpoint in the run-up to the Bihar polls.
For now, the protests, detentions, and sharp political rhetoric have ensured that voter list integrity will remain a hot topic in the national discourse. Whether this confrontation leads to legal action, further street protests, or electoral policy changes remains to be seen.
