NEW DELHI, 9 AUG

Law Minister HK Patil has strongly criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) for inaction over allegations of voter list manipulation, urging the constitutional body to act with transparency and urgency.

“The Election Commission must address the serious allegations raised by Shri Rahul Gandhi, which are backed by documents and scientific analysis. These should be treated as a suo motu complaint,” Patil said.

He condemned the ECI’s demand for affidavits, calling it a “lame excuse of procedural red tape” and a failure to uphold its responsibility to safeguard democracy. He emphasised that the allegations, made publicly and recorded on a public platform by the Leader of the Opposition—a statutory position — should suffice to trigger ECI action.

Patil also recalled raising concerns in the Karnataka Assembly on 29 March 2022, regarding manipulated voter lists and missing EVMs. “The documents I presented were forwarded to the ECI by the then Speaker. In response, the Commission questioned the Assembly’s right to discuss election malpractices,” he said.

He criticised the ECI’s response as irresponsible and damaging to democratic integrity. “If the Speaker forwarded these documents, why didn’t the ECI demand a formal complaint or affidavit at that time?” he asked.

Patil attached his correspondence, the Speaker’s letter to the ECI, and thousands of supporting documents in his renewed call for accountability.