’Lok Sabha poll was rigged’: Rahul Gandhi claims India’s election system is dead

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Aug 2, 2025: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government and the electoral process in the country, alleging that the 2024 general elections were "rigged".

Speaking at the Annual Legal Conclave 2025 in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said, “We are going to prove to you in the coming few days how a Lok Sabha election can be rigged and was rigged.”

He further claimed that India’s electoral system has collapsed. “The truth is that the election system in India is already dead. The Prime Minister of India is the prime minister with a very slim majority. If 15 seats were rigged, he would not have been the Prime Minister of India,” he added.

The Congress leader’s latest attack comes a day after he criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing the poll body of being complicit in "vote theft" to benefit the BJP.

Gandhi claimed his party has "open-and-shut proof" of the alleged electoral malpractice, which he likened to an “atom bomb” that will expose the ECI’s involvement when revealed.

Talking to reporters on the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the Congress MP said, "Votes are being stolen. We have open-and-shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in this vote theft. And I’m not saying this lightly, I’m speaking with 100% proof. And when we release it (proof), the entire country will come to know that the Election Commission is enabling vote theft. And who are they doing it for? They’re doing it for the BJP."

Gandhi said that the findings of an investigation by the Congress amount to nothing short of an “atom bomb”, with implications severe enough to shake the very foundations of the ECI.

"We had suspicion of voter theft, and we got into its granularity. Since the Election Commision was not helpful in the investigation, we did our own. It took six months, and the things we found are an ’Atom Bomb’ and when this atom bomb explodes, you won’t see the Election Commission in the country," he added.

Gandhi warned that the findings are explosive and will have severe implications for the ECI, and warned ECI officials involved in the alleged malpractice that they will face consequences, even if they are retired. He described their actions as “no less than treason”.

"Most importantly, whoever in the Elections Commission is involved in this exercise, right from top to bottom, we will not spare you. You are working against India and this no less than treason. Wherever you are, even if you are retired, we will find you," said the Lok Sabha LoP.

In response, the Election Commission of India rejected Gandhi’s claims, calling them baseless and irresponsible.

The EC said its officials should continue working fairly and transparently, without being affected by daily threats or false statements.

“The Election Commission ignores such baseless allegations being made on a daily basis and despite threats being given daily, asks all election officials to ignore such irresponsible statements while working impartially and transparently,” it said in a statement. 

The EC said Gandhi ignored official messages sent on June 12 and never raised any concerns through proper channels.