Rahul Gandhi Claims 2024 Lok Sabha Elections Rigged, Vows to Present Proof, Says Electoral System is 'Dead'

In a startling upping of the ante in his tirade against the Election Commission of India (ECI), Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were "rigged." Addressing a legal conclave, Gandhi claimed he possessed "open and shut proof" of mass-level voter manipulation and cheating in over 80 constituencies. He went on to declare that India's electoral process is "dead," a stinging comment that defies the purity of the democratic process head-on.

The Charges and the Promised Proof

Gandhi's scathing charges are in the wake of a recent spat with the ECI, which had previously rejected his "vote theft" comments as unfounded. The ECI had gone to the extent of requesting a meeting to listen to his issues, which Gandhi did not accept. The leader of Congress has now vowed to submit his evidence in the next few days, stating that it would prove to be a "big nuclear explosion" that the ECI cannot keep under wraps. He has also threatened to bring current and former officials of ECI into the line of fire. 

#WATCH | Delhi: At the Annual Legal Conclave- 2025, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "We are going to prove to you in the coming few days how a Lok Sabha election can be rigged and was rigged..."

He also says, "The truth is that the election system in India is… pic.twitter.com/F9Vfsf5uH1

— ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2025

ECI's Response and the BJP's Response

It is not for the first time that Gandhi has expressed such fears. He had earlier complained about irregularities in the Maharashtra Assembly election and had requested greater transparency, including the publication of CCTV footage from polling stations. The ECI has repeatedly denied these allegations, saying all elections are held legally and transparently. The commission has also cited voter privacy and security as reasons for not making raw video footage available. The charges have ignited a virulent political battle, with the BJP making a robust counter-attack, terming Gandhi's thinking "hazardous for India." The BJP contends that such accusations, leveled in the wake of an adverse verdict by the voters, are aimed at discrediting constitutional institutions and eroding public trust in democracy.

The Broader Impact on Indian Democracy

The scandal has come under severe scrutiny for the ECI and electoral process as the country waits for the promised proof. The frequent questioning of the authority of the ECI and conduct of the elections by a prominent opposition leader may have deep implications for public confidence in India's democratic institutions. The argument has evolved from concrete cases of suspected fraud to a general questioning of the electoral system of the country itself, a move that may have profound implications for the future health of Indian democracy.