**Supreme Court Sees PIL Against Congress Over “Vote Chori” Campaign**
A public interest litigation (PIL) has been submitted to the Supreme Court targeting the Congress party and its leaders, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, regarding their recent “vote chori” campaign. The petition, filed by a member of the All India Hindu Mahasabha through advocate Rohit Pandey, claims that the campaign is unconstitutional, politically motivated, and seeks to undermine the authority of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The petition calls for the deregistration of Congress as a political party and demands an investigation into alleged manipulation of voter rolls in Bengaluru Central and other constituencies. It specifically references Rahul Gandhi’s press conference on August 7, where he accused the BJP and the ECI of colluding to commit a “huge criminal fraud” concerning voter lists. Gandhi characterized “vote chori” (vote theft) as an “atom bomb on our democracy,” supporting his assertions with data from Karnataka.
Following these allegations, the Chief Electoral Officers of Karnataka and Maharashtra requested that Gandhi provide the names of electors he believed were incorrectly listed, along with a signed declaration for corrective measures. On August 17, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar cautioned that Gandhi’s claims would remain “baseless and invalid” unless he submitted evidence under oath.
The petition argues that Congress’ campaign is a calculated propaganda effort aimed at eroding public trust in democratic institutions. It also urges the court to establish a special investigation team led by a retired judge to examine electoral roll manipulation and to halt any further revisions or finalizations of rolls until an independent audit is conducted.
Highlighting alleged discrepancies, the petition notes that nearly 39 lakh new voters were added to Maharashtra’s rolls within just four months between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, compared to approximately 50 lakh in the previous five years. This sudden increase raises concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.
Additionally, the petitioner has requested that the ECI make electoral rolls available in machine-readable and OCR-compliant formats for public scrutiny, emphasizing the importance of “transparency, accountability, and integrity” in elections. This case is poised to test the balance between free political speech and the safeguarding of institutions that are central to India’s democracy.
**FAQ**
**What is the main issue in the PIL against the Congress party?**
The PIL alleges that the Congress party’s “vote chori” campaign is unconstitutional and politically motivated, aiming to undermine the Election Commission of India and seeks deregistration of the party.
