"Vote theft is theft of democracy": Congress' Rakesh Sinha backs SC plea
Congress leader Rakesh Sinha calls the electoral irregularities a theft of democracy and demands an SIT probe into the CEC via the Supreme Court.
Congress leader Rakesh Sinha has launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India, describing recent electoral irregularities as a fundamental theft of democracy. Speaking on a Supreme Court plea that seeks a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Sinha argued that the scale of the alleged mismanagement goes far beyond simple administrative errors.
Allegations of Mass Voter Exclusion
The controversy stems from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row, where allegations have surfaced regarding the unlawful exclusion of eligible voters. Sinha claimed that the actions taken have effectively deprived crores of citizens of their constitutional right to vote.
"This issue—this matter of vote theft—is not a trivial or minor matter. It is a serious issue. It is not merely about the theft of votes; you have effectively orchestrated the theft of democracy itself," Sinha stated.
He further emphasized that by deleting such a vast number of names from the electoral rolls, the integrity of the Constitution itself has been undermined. Consequently, the matter has been brought before the judiciary to seek impartial justice and the formation of an SIT.
The Core of the Supreme Court Plea
The legal challenge filed in the Supreme Court on Friday targets CEC Gyanesh Kumar and several other high-ranking officials, including Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Maneesh Garg and DG-IT Seema Khanna. The plea alleges several breaches of official duty, including:
- Unilateral Decision-Making: Allegations that the CEC made decisions within the ECI without proper consensus.
- Form 6 Manipulations: Claims that changes were made to the ECINet portal to make "last SIR" details mandatory for first-time voters without formal amendments to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
- Data Centralisation: The move to centralise electoral-roll data through ECINet, which the petitioner argues has restricted decentralised access.
The petition also draws attention to reports suggesting that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded written dissents on at least 14 occasions between November 2025 and August 2026 regarding electoral rolls and database access.
Political Sparring and Calls for Accountability
The issue has triggered a fierce political debate. Responding to West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, who praised the CEC for "purifying" electoral rolls, Sinha dismissed the remarks, suggesting that if the alleged vote theft had not occurred, the political landscape of West Bengal would look very different.
Addressing comments from Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who suggested the Election Commission should defend its position, Sinha called for direct transparency. He challenged the CEC to hold a press conference to address the concerns of the nation.
"If he hasn't stolen anything—along with his two commissioners—let them share their views," Sinha said, adding that the Election Commission, as a constitutional body, has a responsibility to answer when the concerns of 1.4 billion Indians are being raised. He also urged NDA allies to actively demand clarifications to protect the country's democratic fabric.