Rahul Gandhi 'Shocked' As President Murmu Seeks Proof Of 'Election Chori' Amid Opposition’s Attack On CEC Gyanesh Kumar

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu asked the Opposition to provide evidence of alleged electoral malpractice, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Friday after a 10-member INDIA bloc delegation met her seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

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Speaking after the meeting, Gandhi said the delegation had told the President that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Kumar had conspired to undermine Indian democracy. He claimed Murmu had not rejected the allegations but had asked the Opposition to substantiate them.

“She asked us to bring proof of election ‘chori’ (theft),” Gandhi said.

“The proof of election ‘chori’ is known to the whole country. State after state has been stolen. The 2024 election was stolen, and yet the President wants us to submit proof to her. We will happily take all the proof we have collected to her when she is ready to accept it,” he added.

Gandhi said he had expected the President to deny that electoral malpractice was taking place and affirm that India had a free and fair election system. He said he was “shocked and stunned” by what he described as her acceptance of the Opposition’s account. The President’s office did not immediately issue a statement on the meeting.

The delegation, led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi, submitted a memorandum demanding Kumar’s removal, suspension of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, restoration of names allegedly deleted from voter lists and a return to ballot paper voting.

It also sought a review of elections held over the past two years.

The meeting followed three days of Opposition protests against the Election Commission’s handling of the SIR exercise. Before meeting Murmu, Opposition MPs marched from Parliament towards Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Kharge accused the BJP-led government of shielding Kumar despite alleged objections raised by two Election Commissioners during internal deliberations. “Gyanesh Kumar is a small fish, but behind him are Modi-Shah and their government,” he said.

The controversy intensified after reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on several occasions over 10 months, largely concerning SIR-related decisions and orders. The Election Commission has maintained that differences of opinion are normal in institutional deliberations and that its decisions follow statutory procedures.