Rahul alleges massive voter deletion scam. Is it possible? Expert explains

In a high-profile press conference, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission (EC) of enabling a centrally coordinated voter deletion scam targeting Congress strongholds. Rahul claimed that millions of voters across India have been marked for deletion through a software-driven operation, while promising that his party would soon unveil what he described as a "hydrogen bomb" of evidence.

The event marked Rahul’s second consecutive explosive press conference, where he alleged systematic attempts of "vote theft". Rahul maintained that the evidence presented so far was "100 per cent bulletproof proof" and insisted that further disclosures were imminent. The claims have sparked political and public debate on the integrity of India’s voter database, with technical experts weighing in on whether such a large-scale operation is possible.

Rahul alleged that thousands of voter names are being deliberately removed from electoral rolls across constituencies to weaken the Congress party’s base. He called the exercise “targeted and planned,” claiming that it disproportionately affects communities and groups seen as Congress supporters. He has pointed out the use of software and fake applications with ‘evidence’ from Karnataka's Aland constituency. How can such a fraud be pulled off?

Also read: BJP accuses Rahul of trying to create Nepal-like unrest after his 'vote-theft' charge

In this episode of Capital Beat, The Federal analyses key claims made by Rahul and speaks to Madhav Arvind Deshpande, who was the tech expert and consultant in the Barack Obama administration in the US, to know if vote theft is indeed possible.

‘Voter deletions in Congress strongholds’

The first allegation centered on targeted deletions in constituencies where Congress performs strongly. Rahul pointed to Karnataka’s Aland constituency, where he said at least 6,018 votes were deleted. He argued that the actual number of deletions could be much higher.

He cited the example of a woman named Godabai, whose credentials were allegedly used to generate fake logins that enabled the deletion of 12 voters without her knowledge. Rahul further alleged that voter deletions were not random but systematically concentrated in Congress-supporting booths.

In Maharashtra’s Rajora constituency, Rahul highlighted the reverse trend, claiming that 6,850 names had been added to the rolls in a similar coordinated manner.

‘Evidence’ of fake logins, suspicious deletions

The second major point raised in the press conference was the use of fake logins and suspicious mobile numbers in the deletion process. Rahul claimed that automated tools and centralised operations were behind the large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls.

One example presented was of an individual named Surika, who allegedly deleted 12 voters in just 14 minutes. Rahul even brought Surika and one of the deleted voters, Babita Chaudhary, on stage to support his claim. Another case involved a man named Nagraj, who reportedly filed two deletion forms in just 38 seconds at 4:07 am —a task Rahul called "humanly impossible."

Also read: Aland constituency in focus as Rahul slams EC over voter deletion attempts

The Congress leader said the repetition of such cases pointed to an organised call-centre-style setup, where centralised software was used to manipulate deletions and additions.

‘Karnataka CID letters ignored’

A significant allegation was that the Karnataka CID had written 18 letters to the EC over 18 months, flagging the alleged voter deletion scam. These letters, Rahul said, sought critical technical details such as destination IP addresses, device destination ports, and OTP trails.

He alleged that the EC never responded to the CID’s repeated requests. Rahul accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of shielding those behind the alleged scam by refusing to part with crucial data.

Congress maintained that this information could have helped investigators trace the origin of fraudulent deletions and unearth the scale of the scam.

Is a scam possible? Expert explains

Deshpande, a technology consultant with experience advising international governments, explained that the Election Commission’s servers are protected by firewalls and log connection details such as timestamps, IP addresses, ports, and OTP trails. These details, he said, are enough to trace suspicious activity if shared with investigators.

Deshpande emphasised that deletions cannot be carried out by the general public. As per EC guidelines, only Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) with authorised logins can make deletions. He noted that each action requires a user ID and password, making misuse possible if these credentials are shared or cloned.

He added voter deletions happening within seconds, as alleged by Rahul in the press conference, were not humanly possible and likely indicated centralised or automated interventions.

Also read: Vote Chori allegations again: Key takeaways from Rahul Gandhi's press conference

Breach of trust, systemic vulnerabilities

Deshpande stressed that the issue was less about hacking and more about misuse of authorised access. He drew parallels with cloned SIM card frauds, where a cloned card behaves like the original without the owner’s knowledge. Similarly, if an unauthorised person gains access to ERO credentials, deletions can be carried out without the officer’s involvement.

The expert argued that the EC’s own admission that the public cannot delete voter entries puts the responsibility directly on authorised officials. If deletions were still taking place, it would point to insider misuse or compromised credentials.

Deshpande described the alleged operation as a "breach of confidence and trust," stressing that it was technically feasible and required urgent investigation.

Questions on transparency, accountability

The expert questioned the EC’s response to the allegations. Instead of promising a thorough investigation, the commission dismissed Rahul’s charges as fake, stating that the public had no access to voter deletions. Deshpande argued that this denial only weakened the commission’s credibility.

He highlighted Section 20.3.6 of the Manual of Electoral Rules, which specifies that applications for voter additions and deletions can be made online but are approved by an ERO. This process, he said, clearly establishes that deletions can only happen through authorised logins.

Deshpande criticised the commission’s lack of transparency, calling it "irresponsible" for dismissing the claims without a proper probe. He said the responsible response would have been to acknowledge the allegations and commit to investigating them.

Concerns over 'centralised manipulation'

While Rahul alleged that deletions were part of a centralised conspiracy, Deshpande stopped short of confirming such coordination. He noted that a group of authorised users could still execute large-scale deletions manually without requiring specialised software, particularly if several people worked simultaneously.

However, he maintained that the sheer scale of the allegations, combined with the suspicious timing and speed of deletions, strongly suggested organised manipulation. If proven, he warned, such a conspiracy would be "anti-national" in nature, undermining the foundations of Indian democracy.

Also read: Rahul attacks CEC Gyanesh Kumar, backs claims with hard evidence

He insisted that all relevant server logs, including exception reports, must already exist on the EC’s systems. Sharing them with investigators would reveal whether the deletions were isolated incidents or part of a coordinated operation.

Calls for probe, public accountability

The larger issue raised by the controversy, according to experts, is the lack of transparency within the EC. Despite multiple warnings from the Karnataka CID and the detailed presentation by Congress, the commission has refused to launch an independent probe.

Former Chief Election Commissioners, including OP Rawat and SY Qureshi, have also publicly stated that the EC should form a committee to investigate the matter. So far, however, the commission has only issued denials.

Deshpande warned that continued opacity erodes public trust in the electoral process. He argued that trust and transparency are the cornerstones of democracy, and failure to ensure them puts the legitimacy of elections at risk.

Eye-opening moment

The allegations presented by Rahul have ignited debate over the credibility of India’s electoral system. While reports of voter deletions are not new, the detailed evidence and technical claims made by Congress have forced both citizens and experts to take notice.

Also read: Rahul alleges CEC Gyanesh Kumar is protecting 'those destroying democracy'

Civil society groups such as Vote for Democracy have long highlighted concerns about voter list manipulation, but Rahul’s press conference marked the first time a national political party presented the issue in such graphic detail. The scale of the alleged operation has raised alarm over whether Indian democracy is being undermined through systemic vulnerabilities.

For now, the spotlight remains on the EC. Whether it acknowledges the allegations and opens an independent investigation may determine the future credibility of India’s elections.

The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.