New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a fresh political storm with his explosive claims of large scale voter manipulation in Haryana’s 2024 Assembly elections. Presenting what he termed the “H-Files,” Gandhi alleged that more than 25 lakh votes were “stolen” through fake and duplicate entries in the state’s electoral rolls.
At a press conference in New Delhi, the Leader of Opposition accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of turning a blind eye to what he called the “biggest theft in India’s democratic history.” Gandhi said that one in every eight voters in Haryana was fake, and warned that such practices posed a grave threat to the country’s electoral integrity.
“This is not about Congress or BJP it’s about the soul of our democracy. If elections can be manipulated like this, then the very foundation of our Republic is under attack,” Gandhi said.
The “H-Files” and Key Allegations
According to Rahul Gandhi, his team identified five major methods of manipulation:
- Duplicate voter entries using identical names or photos.
- Invalid or non-existent addresses.
- Bulk additions of voters linked to single phone numbers or family IDs.
- “House Zero” anomalies, where voters are listed under a non-existent address.
- Postal ballot irregularities.
He cited one striking example: a woman allegedly listed 22 times across 10 booths, claiming she was a “Brazilian model” whose photo was repeatedly used on the voter list. Gandhi demanded that the Election Commission immediately audit all such entries and issue a public explanation.
BJP, Election Commission Hit Back
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission swiftly rejected Gandhi’s allegations.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju mocked the Congress leader’s claims, saying, “Every few months Rahul Gandhi promises to drop a hydrogen bomb, but it never explodes.”
The Election Commission issued a statement calling the charges “unfounded and misleading,” clarifying that no formal objections or appeals had been submitted by the Congress during the 2024 electoral roll revision or after the Haryana polls.
The EC also stated that all entries were verified through the EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) system and Aadhaar based de-duplication process, and that any discrepancies would have been rectified during the public objection period.
Congress Defends Its Stand
Senior Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, backed Gandhi, describing the “H-Files” as a “wake-up call” for Indian democracy.
“This is not about one election it’s about the future of free and fair voting in India,” Ramesh said, urging the EC to open a formal investigation.
Local Congress units in Haryana have announced plans to file petitions seeking a judicial probe into the alleged manipulation.
Political Context and Implications
Rahul Gandhi’s allegations come just ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, reigniting debates around “vote chori” (vote theft) and electoral transparency. The timing has given his statements national traction, especially among opposition parties calling for stricter oversight of voter data and EVM audits.
Political observers note that while the claims have yet to be independently verified, they could reshape the election narrative in the coming months especially if any evidence surfaces to substantiate the “H-Files.”
What Happens Next
The Election Commission is expected to issue a detailed clarification in the coming days. Meanwhile, Congress is preparing to release more data from the “H-Files” series, which Gandhi hinted could involve “other states and other elections.”
For now, the controversy has reignited the decades old debate over electoral credibility in India and whether the world’s largest democracy can guarantee the sanctity of every vote.
