Rahul Gandhi Alleges Vote Theft in Bela Estate; Poll Body Cites Demolitions

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India of removing more than 700 voters from the electoral rolls in Delhi's Bela Estate, describing the deletions as an instance of vote theft.

In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi said that while Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar "will go", the "system that made him do this will also have to answer". He has been pressing for the CEC's dismissal since reports emerged that the two other poll commissioners had disagreed with Kumar on several occasions over voter list revision and the inclusion of new voters.

Gandhi said the right to vote is not contingent on owning a house. He noted that the CEC himself had said "House Number 0" is meant for the homeless, yet 727 people's names were struck off. "This isn't SIR — this is a method of vote theft. From those who already have the least, their only power is being snatched away," he said.

According to the Commission, the names were removed because the dwellings the voters earlier lived in were demolished in 2022-23 and the physical and residential character of the area had changed substantially. It said block-level officers were required to make house-to-house visits to distribute enumeration forms at registered addresses, but the demolition meant these electors no longer resided there, altering their status as ordinary residents under the Representation of the People Act, 1970.

In response to Gandhi's allegations, the Commission said the matter had already been addressed by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer and that the period for filing claims and objections for the National Capital Territory of Delhi had been extended to October 30, 2026. It said eligible electors whose names are missing from the draft roll can submit Form-6, and reiterated its commitment to transparent and inclusive polling.