Rahul Gandhi, during the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Araria, Bihar, accused the Election Commission of India and the BJP of engaging in vote theft through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. He characterized the SIR as an “institutionalised way” to steal votes, alleging a partnership between the ECI and the BJP. Gandhi highlighted the Opposition’s complaints about deleted voter names, which have been ignored while the BJP has remained silent. He stated the Opposition’s determination to prevent the BJP and the ECI from manipulating elections in Bihar. Gandhi noted the positive response to the ‘Yatra’ as proof of the public’s belief in claims of vote theft. He criticized the ECI for not ensuring accurate voter lists in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Karnataka and emphasized the aim of altering the ECI’s behavior. He also questioned the ECI’s impartiality, citing the differing treatment of himself and Union Minister Anurag Thakur. The ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra,’ which includes a march of 1,300 km across 20 districts, is a demonstration against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
