‘Voter List Fraud’ Claim By Congress: Here’s What News18 Found On The Ground In Bengaluru

Last Updated:August 09, 2025, 00:19 IST

The investigation focused on two addresses flagged by the Congress, revealing conflicting claims from property owners and election officials

The Congress has alleged 'vote theft' during the 2024 parliamentary polls Representational image/PTI

A ground investigation was carried out by CNN-News18 on Friday to fact-check the allegations of voter list fraud made by the Congress party in Bengaluru’s Mahadevpura constituency. The investigation focused on two addresses flagged by the Congress, revealing conflicting claims from property owners and election officials.

One of the primary points of contention is a building at House No. 35, Muni Reddy Layout, where the Congress alleges that 80 individuals are registered as voters. According to the building’s owner, Jayaram Reddy, this is a clear case of fraud. “I don’t identify anyone who has registered as a voter from my property," Reddy stated. He also claimed that he has never rented out the one-bedroom house to 80 people in the last 15 years.

However, a booth-level officer (BLO) offered a different perspective. The officer explained that the house has served as a temporary residence for daily wage labourers and security guards over the years. These individuals typically stay for a short period—six months to a year—before moving on.

The BLO admitted that while they had provided lists for the deletion of names, the process is not straightforward. “It’s not possible to delete so many names at once…We can’t do it legally," the officer said, adding that many of the individuals, even after shifting, might still be working in the vicinity due to the presence of numerous IT companies.

The BLO failed to explain how so many people enrolled as voters, especially when the voter list does not get revised every few months.

The CNN-News18 team also investigated another address, Survey No. 153, which houses the Biere Street brewery. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had alleged that 68 voters were registered from this location. However, the management of the brewery flatly denied that any of its staff registered as voters from the address. A manager stated that neither their staff nor the owners are registered as voters at that address. “We have no idea who has registered from this address," the manager told CNN-News18.

Harish Upadhya

Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi...Read More

Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi...

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August 09, 2025, 00:19 IST

News india ‘Voter List Fraud’ Claim By Congress: Here’s What News18 Found On The Ground In Bengaluru

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