BJP committing vote chori in collusion with Election Commission, says Rahul

Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday (December 9, 2025), accused the BJP of indulging in the “biggest” act against the nation by committing vote chori [theft] in collusion with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to destroy the idea of India.

Mr. Gandhi, participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Lower House, claimed that the Narendra Modi government changed the law to give complete immunity to the election commissioners for their decision but added, “we are going to change the law and going to find you”.

Also Read: Parliament Winter session Day 7 LIVE Updates on December 9, 2025

Describing Indian democracy as the world’s greatest democracy, the Opposition leader asked three questions, which, he claimed made it clear that the BJP was “directing and using” the ECI to damage it.

As part of his suggestions, Mr. Gandhi called for providing machine readable voter list to all parties one month before elections, taking back the law that allowed destruction of CCTV footage after 45 days of poll, giving access to electronic voting machines (EVMs) and quash the law that allowed the election commissioners “to get away with whatever they want to do”.

Calling the alleged vote chori as an act against the country, Mr. Gandhi said, “It is because when you destroy the vote, you destroy the fabric of this country, you destroy modern India, you destroy the idea of India. Those across the aisle are doing ...”.

The senior Congress leader also asked why the Chief Justice of India (CJI) was removed from the selection panel for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Election Commissioners (ECs).

“I sit in that room. It is a so-called democratic decision. On one side, there is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. On the other side, the Leader of the Opposition. I have no voice in that room. What they decide is what happens,” Mr. Gandhi said, adding, “So, why are the Prime Minister and the Home Minister so keen on choosing exactly who the election commissioner is going to be”.

Talking about the law that shields the ECs from being prosecuted for their decisions in office, Mr. Gandhi said, “No Prime Minister has done this in the history of India”.

“In December 2023, this government changed the law to make sure that no election commissioner could be punished for any action they take,” he said, adding, “They [ECs] might be under the impression that this law lets them get away with it. Let me remind them: don’t worry, we are going to change the law, and that too retroactively. And we are going to come and find you”.

Referring to an issue raised earlier in a press conference on alleged vote chori in the Haryana Assembly elections, the Congress leader said a Brazilian woman appeared 22 times on the voter list while another woman’s name featured over 200 times in one constituency in the State.