Rahul Gandhi Praises Election Commission's Move on Voter Data: What's Next?

Rahul Gandhi's Response to Election Commission's Decision

New Delhi: On Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his approval of the Election Commission's (EC) reported decision to release electoral roll data for Haryana and Maharashtra, calling it "a positive initial step." He urged the commission to specify when this data would be available in a digital, machine-readable format.

Gandhi shared a screenshot of a media report indicating that the EC had approved the release of electoral roll data spanning from 2009 to 2024 for both states, following a commitment made to the Delhi High Court earlier this year.

However, the EC has yet to officially confirm this development.

In a post on X, Gandhi remarked, "A good first step taken by EC to hand over voter rolls." He further inquired, "Can the EC please announce the exact date by which this data will be handed over in a digital, machine-readable format?"

Following Gandhi's request for the EC's response to his claims of rigging in last year's Maharashtra Assembly elections, sources within the commission stated that they would only respond if he directly contacted them.

They also noted that the EC had invited all six national parties for individual discussions, but Congress chose to cancel its meeting scheduled for May 15.

Gandhi criticized the EC on Saturday after it dismissed his allegations of election rigging, asserting that avoiding the truth would not safeguard its credibility, while honesty would.

In an article featured in "The Indian Express," Gandhi accused the Maharashtra elections of being manipulated and warned that similar tactics could be employed in the upcoming Bihar elections and in any region where the BJP is at risk of losing.