Vote rigging widespread under BJP rule: Meghachandra
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 14 2025: Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president K Meghachandra on Thursday said that suspicions over the surreptitious addition of voters to the state's electoral rolls have been strengthened following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent allegations of large-scale irregularities by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

He claimed that the commission has acted in favour of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and engaged in wrongful voter list manipulation.

The remarks came after screening of the video footage of press conference held by Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on August 7.Congress MLAs, former MLAs and MPs, MPCC office bearers, party spokespersons, and representatives from various frontal organisations, cells, and departments attended the screening at Congress Bhawan, here, on Thursday.

In his address, Rahul Gandhi alleged that millions of names were wrongfully added to voter lists and cited examples from Karnataka and Maharashtra, where unusually high voter turnout were witnessed in the afternoon during previous elections.

Addressing the media after the screening, Meghachandra said that ECI, mandated by the Constitution to function neutrally, has "ceased to be impartial" since BJP-picked members assumed control.

ECI and the BJP have become two sides of the same coin, he said, adding that the commission has become a political tool akin to the Enforcement Directorate.

He asserted that Rahul Gandhi's revelations strengthened earlier suspicions of manipulation in Manipur too, including reports of large numbers of new voters and suspiciously high BJP tallies in certain constituencies during the 2022 assembly elections.

According to Meghachandra, investigations have found instances where 6,000 to 7,000 names were added to electoral rolls in specific areas, and cases where individuals with identical names and fathers' names appeared on multiple polling station lists.

He said that vote rigging is now widespread across the country under BJP rule and accused ECI of remaining silent on the matter.

The MPCC president criticised the commission for refusing demands for a digital electoral roll, saying it would make it easier to identify fake voters.

He also called for public access to details of Form 6 applications for adding voters and to CCTV footage recorded at polling stations during voting.

If CCTV footage is destroyed after voting day, what is the purpose of recording it?" he asked.

Meghachandra further informed that All India Congress Committee will launch a nationwide protest beginning August 22, with rallies at district and block levels.

In Manipur, a state-level rally is planned for August 23 .

He added that MPCC will soon present its demands for electronic voter list and CCTV footage to the state's chief electoral officer.

He alleged that electoral malpractice has become routine in Manipur, with cases of individuals casting multiple votes at the same polling station.

This unfair system and a government formed through manipulated votes have corrupted the land, he added.

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