By SANTOSH MOHANTY
Leader of the Opposition (LOP) Rahul Gandhi at a press conference in August this year has levelled serious charges against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that it is involved in 'Vote Chori'(vote theft) in a number of constituencies in the country. Gandhi alleged that it was most glaring in Karnataka's Mahadevpura.
This explosive allegation of the LOP of India has shocked everybody as Gandhi alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is hand in glove with the BJP to indulge in large scale manipulation or tampering voter rolls.
The Allegation: Gandhi has alleged that the voter rolls were manipulated with insertion of duplicate names, addresses not found or fake. He alleged that the act was approved by the ECI. Gandhi alleged that glaring discrepancies were found in Aland in Karnataka and Rajura in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district and claimed that there was mass deletion and manipulation of voter names.
However, the ECI has brushed aside the allegations as misleading and baseless. It said it was never possible to delete names online as the whole process involved verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) after serving notice to the voters. The ECI has even dared Gandhi to file an affidavit or apologize to the nation and made it clear that there was no third option for him. But, the ECI's direction to Gandhi to file an affidavit or apologize has not gone down well with other political parties and even intellectuals who had decried its very motive.
Political Upsurge:
The BJP leaders have alleged that the leader of the Opposition is acting in an irresponsible manner. They alleged that Rahul Gandhi is subverting Indian democratic system and deriding the election officials who have toiled hard to ensure free and fair elections in the country. Contrary to this, Gandhi's claims are backed by exact figures of irregularity in a number of states like Karnataka and Maharashtra. The BJP overlooks this.
Indian Democracy In Peril?
Experts are of the opinion that whether proven or not, Gandhi's allegations have far reaching consequences in the Indian polity. This is likely to erode the public faith in the electoral system if left unresolved. One will observe that the vote chori has become an issue with the Opposition parties in India as the leaders have become united demanding action against the ECI. Observers have maintained that a third party audit must be done to study in detail the claim of Congress on the matter as it is of very severe nature.
Whatever be the situation, Gandhi's allegations on the fairness of the electoral system has put question marks on the credibility of ECI. It is the foremost duty of the ECI to come forward on its own to put to rest the aspersions cast on it. It is advisable for ECI to try its best to convince the Indian citizens that their right to vote has not been compromised in any way.
