Rahul Gandhi vs EC: DK Shivakumar backs ‘vote theft’ claims, says found electoral roll discrepancies in Karnataka

Backing Lok Sabha Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's comments on electoral roll revision in Bihar and "vote theft" in Karnataka, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar charged that the electoral roll in the state was manipulated and bogus voters were created during the Parliament elections. 

Shivakumar told reporters that the state Congress unit conducted a survey in several booths in the state and found discrepancies. "We conducted research in many booths of Karnataka, especially in the urban sectors, where we found that votes were shifted there from various places without any proper documents. All bogus votes were created," the Karnataka Congress president charged.

Shivakumar added that their findings will be produced before the Election Commission. "We will present this evidence to the Election Commission. Whether they agree or not, that's a different issue. We will present it in front of the people too," he said.

Shivakumar's comments come a day after Rahul Gandhi levelled charges of electoral roll discrepancies in Karnataka and "vote theft" during the Lok Sabha polls in the state. Gandhi claimed Congress has "100 per cent proof" that EC allowed cheating in a constituency in Karnataka during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and warned the Election Commission that it will not get away with this, "because we are going to come for you". Gandhi levelled the charges against EC amid protests against special intensive electoral roll revision in Karnataka. 

However, the Election Commission called Gandhi's comments "unfortunate" and misleading. In a statement, the chief electoral officer of Karnataka said the draft electoral rolls were shared with all recognised parties, including Congress, and they didn't receive any petition from Congress leaders then on discrepancies in the electoral rolls.