‘How does anti-incumbency disappear?’: Rahul Gandhi targets Modi, Shah in fresh ‘vote chori’ attack, demands Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation

Rahul Gandhi stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Election Commission against the backdrop of an investigative report by The Indian Express on the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Rahul questions disappearance of anti-incumbency

Addressing a press conference, Gandhi questioned why the anti-incumbency sentiment that he said had historically affected governments across India did not appear to have affected the BJP-led government under Modi.

“Narendra Modi, Amit Shah say—BJP's government will remain in the country for many years to come. I've been observing politics for nearly 50 years, but no leader can say such things. Indira Gandhi ji won the Bangladesh war, yet in the next few years, anti-incumbency set in.

“Many of the country's Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers have had to face it. Anti-incumbency is India's greatest political force. But why doesn't this force affect Narendra Modi and Amit Shah—the answer has been given by two Election Commissioners,” he said.

Gandhi said anti-incumbency was a political force that eventually affected governments irrespective of whether they were led by national or regional parties.

“It happens to every party, regional or national, but somehow it never happens to Narendra Modi, Mr. Shah, and it doesn't happen to the BJP. We can understand the popularity of a person and the performance of a government, but we cannot understand how anti-incumbency disappears,” he said.

Rahul repeats 'vote chori' allegations

Gandhi, who has repeatedly raised allegations of “vote chori”, said Modi and Shah would be investigated, alleging that they were “at the centre of a conspiracy to steal elections” at both the national and state levels.

“Both Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are at the centre of this conspiracy, and they will be investigated for what they have done to this country. This is an act against the Indian state and the people of India. We refuse to remain silent while this is happening,” the Congress leader said.

He also reiterated his demand for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

  Investigative report on SIR

The controversy follows a report by The Indian Express that detailed differences within the three-member Election Commission involving CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

According to the investigation, Sandhu and Joshi formally raised objections at least 14 times over a period of 10 months to decisions and orders concerning electoral rolls and the SIR. They reportedly said some decisions had been taken without their knowledge.

The objections covered changes to Form 6, access to the electoral-roll database, deletion and restoration of voter names, appeals related to electoral rolls and aspects of the ECI's internal decision-making.

The two Election Commissioners also reportedly raised concerns over what they described as the gradual centralisation of the electoral-roll database.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) at the constituency level have statutory responsibility for preparing and maintaining electoral rolls.

According to the investigation, Joshi called for an audit to ensure that only authorised statutory officials could alter the voter database, while Sandhu recorded complaints from state-level officials that they did not have "proper and complete access" to the relevant systems.

The report also said the two Commissioners separately wrote to Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan over changes in the ECI's work allocation that they felt could further concentrate control over the IT systems handling electoral rolls.

Election Commission rejects claims of internal rift

The Election Commission has disputed the interpretation of the report, saying that written objections, suggestions and differing views are part of its internal deliberative process.

EC sources said all decisions, including those concerning the SIR, were taken with the approval of all three Election Commissioners and were unanimous.