Has BJP Turned the EC into Its Poll Rigging Machinery?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- BJP accused of manipulating Election Commission.
- Allegations include extensive voter fraud.
- Opposition demands urgent electoral reforms.
- CM Stalin warns of nationwide implications.
- Political tensions expected to rise ahead of elections.
Chennai, Aug 11 (NationPress) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of transforming the Election Commission of India (ECI) into a “poll-rigging machinery” and claimed that extensive voter fraud occurred in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura constituency.
On Monday, CM Stalin asserted that the incident was not merely an administrative oversight but a “calculated conspiracy” aimed at undermining the people's mandate.
He referred to evidence provided by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, which he said unveiled the magnitude of the alleged malpractice, labeling it as “vote theft”.
Stalin indicated that the findings suggested a systematic endeavor to manipulate voter registrations and sway election results in favor of the BJP.
On the same day, Rahul Gandhi is spearheading a march with Members of Parliament from the opposition INDIA bloc from the Parliament House to the Election Commission of India headquarters in New Delhi. This demonstration aims to advocate for immediate reforms to protect electoral integrity.
CM Stalin articulated three primary demands: the urgent release of comprehensive machine-readable voter rolls for every state, halting politically motivated deletions from electoral rolls, and an independent investigation into what he referred to as the “subversion of democracy”.
The Chief Minister emphasized, “BJP has turned the Election Commission into its poll-rigging machinery. What transpired in Mahadevapura is not an accident — it is a deliberate scheme to steal the people’s mandate,” he stated on his X handle. “We will not remain silent while the BJP robs India’s democracy in broad daylight.”
He warned that the issue transcended Karnataka, indicating that similar manipulations of voter lists could be occurring nationwide as elections approach.
CM Stalin further accused the ruling party at the Center of utilizing the Election Commission as a mechanism for partisan benefits, rather than ensuring free and fair elections.
The DMK leader reaffirmed his party’s commitment to the INDIA bloc’s campaign to uphold democratic institutions, declaring that it “stands shoulder to shoulder” in the battle against electoral malpractice.
The ECI has yet to respond to the recent allegations. This controversy is expected to heighten political tensions between the opposition and the BJP as the next elections draw near.