The Election Commission of India (ECI) has invited Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for a meeting following his recent article in The Indian Express about the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election. The invitation was sent via email and hand-delivered to his residence on June 12, 2025.
In its communication, the ECI stated, "In view of your article published in Indian Express on 07.06.2025 on Maharashtra Assembly elections held last year, I am directed to state that similar issues were raised by the Indian National Congress (INC) after the assembly elections in November 2024. The Commission had given a detailed reply to the INC on 24th December 2024. A copy of the reply is available on the ECI website.”
Further ECI added, “All elections are conducted by the Election Commission of India strictly as per Electoral Laws passed by the Parliament, Rules made therein and instructions issued by the Election Commission of India from time to time. We presume that any issue regarding conduct of elections would have already been raised through election petitions filed in the competent court of law by the INC candidates However, if you still have any issues, you are welcome to write to us and the Commission is also willing to meet you in person at a mutually convenient date and time to discuss all issues."
Rahul Gandhi had alleged irregularities in the voter rolls and polling process in Maharashtra. In a post on X, he stated, “In Maharashtra CM’s own constituency, the voter list grew by 8% in just five months. Some booths saw a 20–50% surge. BLOs reported unknown individuals casting votes. Media uncovered thousands of voters with no verified address. And the EC? Silent, or complicit. These aren’t isolated glitches. This is vote theft. The cover-up is the confession. That’s why we demand the immediate release of machine-readable digital voter rolls and CCTV footage.”
The invitation came after Rahul Gandhi wrote an article in The Indian Express on the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly results. The election witnessed a closely contested campaign between the ruling coalition and the opposition. The Congress and its allies have alleged irregularities and a sharp, unexplained rise in voter numbers across several booths. These claims have triggered a wider public debate about the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.
In its statement, the ECI reaffirmed its commitment to conducting free and fair elections and said it operates with utmost integrity and accountability, while continuing to review credible grievances brought before it.
