Overview

• Rahul Gandhi published an op-ed on June 7 alleging a five-step rigging blueprint in the November 2024 Maharashtra assembly election, from manipulating the EC appointment panel to hiding evidence.
• The Election Commission replied the same day, calling the charges absurd and citing the presence of party agents at every booth and comparative turnout data from other states to defend its transparency.
• Gandhi has demanded the release of digital, machine-readable voter rolls and post-5 pm CCTV footage from Maharashtra polling stations to prove the integrity of the electoral process.
• BJP leaders, including JP Nadda and Devendra Fadnavis, accused Gandhi of undermining democratic institutions and spreading conspiracy theories to pre-empt further electoral losses.
• The dispute over polling integrity has sharpened political tensions ahead of the Bihar assembly elections as both parties trade barbs over accountability and trust in the electoral system.