Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations Spark Fresh Tension with Election Commission Over Maharashtra Polls

National News: A new controversy has begun after Congress leader and Lok Sabha opposition head Rahul Gandhi raised serious questions about the fairness of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. He claimed there was large-scale cheating in the polls and warned that similar methods might be used again in the upcoming Bihar elections. His remarks have led to a direct standoff with the Election Commission of India (ECI), which has now gone public with its communication.

Election Commission Still Waiting for Rahul’s Reply

According to the Election Commission, a letter was sent to Rahul Gandhi on 12 June inviting him for a discussion about his claims. However, the ECI says it has not received any response from him yet. The Commission has now released the letter to the public to show transparency.

In the letter, the Commission said, "If you still have any concerns, you are welcome to write to us or meet us in person. Kindly suggest a suitable date and time via email."

What Rahul Gandhi Said

Rahul Gandhi first made his claims on 7 June in an article published in a newspaper. He also shared the same views on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), calling the Maharashtra elections a "blueprint for how democracy is being misused."

In the article, he mentioned five steps that he believes were used to affect the election results. These include:

• Problems in how Election Commission officials are appointed
• Fake names being added to voter lists
• Weakening of neutral government bodies
• Media being controlled
• Issues in the vote-counting process

Rahul warned that if no action is taken, the same plan could be repeated during the Bihar elections.

Election Commission Defends the Process

The Election Commission has strongly denied all of Rahul Gandhi’s allegations. It said the Maharashtra elections were conducted fairly and as per the law. According to the Commission, the process involved:

• Over 100,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs)
• 288 Returning Officers
• 139 General Observers
• Around 1.26 lakh Booth Agents from different political parties

The Commission also reminded that similar complaints were made by the Congress in November 2024, and a detailed reply was given on 24 December 2024. It stressed that full transparency and proper procedure were followed throughout the election.

A Growing Political Dispute

This issue has added more heat to the already charged political atmosphere. While the Election Commission is waiting for Rahul Gandhi to respond formally, his supporters continue to raise questions about the election system. On the other side, the ruling party and the Commission have both dismissed the charges, calling them baseless.

As the Bihar elections approach, this controversy is likely to become a bigger political issue. Whether Rahul Gandhi attends a meeting with the Election Commission or continues to speak out through media is still unclear.