Brazilian Woman’s 2017 Photo Put at Center of Haryana Voter-List Fight in India

Overview

• Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi showed slides claiming about 2.5 million irregular entries among roughly 20 million voters in Haryana, including a panel of 22 records all using the same image of Brazilian hairdresser Larissa Nery.
• The BJP and India’s Election Commission rejected the allegations, and Haryana’s electoral chief said a letter in August asked Gandhi for a signed affidavit naming ineligible voters before procedures could begin.
• Nery, who says she has never been to India, reported a flood of messages, restricted her social media, and described professional disruptions as she seeks legal guidance.
• BBC reporting identifies photographer Matheus Ferrero as the author of the 2017 portrait, which spread widely on image platforms and was reused in commercial contexts over the years.
• The coverage offers no formal confirmation of systemic voter fraud, leaving the dispute active as political claims and institutional denials continue.