Thane/New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday strongly refuted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent claims alleging large-scale rigging in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Both termed the allegations as “unfounded” and part of a “fake narrative” aimed at undermining public trust in democratic institutions.
Rahul Gandhi, now Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, wrote a widely circulated article accusing the BJP-led government of manipulating the Maharashtra polls through what he described as a “five-step rigging blueprint.” He alleged tampering with voter rolls, inflating turnout, and targeted bogus voting to ensure BJP victories, calling it an act of “match-fixing” that could be repeated in Bihar and other upcoming elections.
Speaking to reporters in Thane, Deputy CM Shinde dismissed the allegations, noting that the same voting process had yielded major victories for the opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance during the Lok Sabha elections, without any accusations from Gandhi at the time.
“When the MVA won 30 of 48 seats, the EVMs were fine. But now, after losing in the Assembly, they’re questioning the same system,” Shinde said. “The people of Maharashtra are wise and will reject this fake narrative.”
The ECI also issued a strong rebuttal, stating that Gandhi’s claims were already addressed in detail in a December 2024 response to the Congress party. Commission sources expressed frustration that instead of engaging directly with the ECI, Gandhi continued to air grievances publicly and “repeatedly raise the same unfounded doubts.”
The ECI further pointed out that Congress had backed out of a scheduled meeting with the Commission on May 15.
Describing the allegations as “an affront to the rule of law,” ECI officials warned that such misinformation demoralizes thousands of election workers and party-appointed booth-level agents.
They emphasized that comprehensive training had been offered to political parties, including Congress, to increase transparency and address procedural concerns.
While Gandhi has called for the release of consolidated, digital voter rolls for all recent elections, the ECI noted that these demands ignore already existing public disclosures.
It urged political leaders to respect constitutional institutions and refrain from spreading baseless claims that could erode faith in the electoral process.
The controversy continues to escalate ahead of key state polls later this year.