The Madras High Court on September 9, dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that had sought to compel the Election Commission of India (ECI) to respond to allegations of large-scale voter roll manipulation in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The PIL, citing statements made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and BJP MP Anurag Thakur, urged the court to direct the poll body to issue clarifications on alleged electoral malpractices. However, a division bench ruled that the plea was “completely misconceived” and lacked any substantive material.
“The petition is vague and devoid of particulars. It is founded solely on allegations and counter-allegations made on certain platforms without credible evidence. The Election Commission cannot be directed to clarify its stance under such circumstances,” the bench observed.
The court also clarified that its ruling should not be interpreted as a validation or rejection of the allegations themselves, leaving the ECI free to act independently if it chooses.
A fine of Rs 1 lakh was imposed on the petitioner, payable to the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority.
The controversy began on August 7, 2024, when Rahul Gandhi alleged at a press conference that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were “choreographed” by the ECI to benefit the BJP, branding it as the only party “immune to anti-incumbency.”
Presenting what he claimed was the outcome of a six-month review by a 40-member team, Gandhi accused the ECI of enabling the theft of over 1,00,250 votes in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura assembly seat. He flagged alleged cases of duplicate voter entries, fake addresses, invalid photographs, and questionable Form-6 applications.
The ECI dismissed Gandhi’s charges as “baseless” and asked him either to submit a sworn declaration or apologise for his “absurd remarks.” Gandhi refused, arguing that he had already sworn allegiance to the Constitution as a Member of Parliament and that his claims were based on the poll body’s own data.
At a rally in Patna, Bihar, on September 1, Gandhi escalated his rhetoric, declaring he would drop a “hydrogen bomb” after the “atom bomb,” hinting at further disclosures about alleged electoral irregularities.
The debate intensified when BJP leader Anurag Thakur held a press conference, accusing the Opposition of benefitting from irregular voter lists in constituencies such as Rae Bareli, Wayanad, Diamond Harbour, and Kannauj.
Thakur alleged that Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Abhishek Banerjee, and Akhilesh Yadav had all won their seats through “vote chori” and demanded their resignations.
By dismissing the PIL, the Madras High Court has effectively closed the litigation. However, the Election Commission remains free to examine or address the allegations independently.
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