New Delhi, September 19, 2025: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday rejected allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that votes can be deleted online. The poll body clarified that names on the electoral roll cannot be removed through the internet by any individual and that every deletion follows a strict legal process.
What the Commission Said
In its detailed clarification, the ECI stated that:
- No citizen has the power to erase a name from the voter list online.
- Voters may use Form 7 to request the removal of an entry from the roll, but submitting this form does not automatically strike off the name.
- According to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, a person’s name can only be deleted after the concerned voter is notified and given a chance to respond.
The Commission emphasized that these safeguards ensure the integrity of the electoral roll and prevent wrongful deletions.
No Deletion of any vote can be done online by any member of the public
— Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) September 19, 2025
✅No wrongful deletion of electors in Aland; an FIR was registered by the authority of ECI itself in 2023 against suspicious attempt of deletions
Read the detailed Press note : https://t.co/dG4qndexn6 pic.twitter.com/W1VD4oEyV6
Case of Aland, Karnataka
The clarification came in the backdrop of an incident in Aland, Karnataka, where a large number of deletion requests were submitted ahead of the 2023 state elections.
- A total of 6,018 Form 7 applications were received online.
- After verification, only 24 were genuine, while 5,994 applications were rejected as invalid.
- Due to the suspicious nature of the submissions, an inquiry was initiated.
- Following the probe, an FIR (No. 26/2023, Aland Police Station, dated February 21, 2023) was lodged by the Electoral Registration Officer.
The Commission highlighted this case to underline that improper applications are not accepted and that action is taken against suspicious activity.
Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had reiterated his charge of “vote chori,” claiming that the Commission was shielding those responsible for deleting opposition votes. He alleged that a software-driven mechanism was being used to selectively remove the names of Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis, minorities, and other groups traditionally aligned with opposition parties.
सुबह 4 बजे उठो,
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 19, 2025
36 सेकंड में 2 वोटर मिटाओ,
फिर सो जाओ – ऐसे भी हुई वोट चोरी!
चुनाव का चौकीदार जागता रहा, चोरी देखता रहा, चोरों को बचाता रहा।#VoteChoriFactory pic.twitter.com/pLSKAXH1Eu
During a press briefing, Gandhi presented the Aland data as evidence and insisted that he possessed “100% proof” of manipulation. He pointed out that the irregularities came to light only when a booth-level officer discovered her uncle’s vote missing and, upon checking further, found her neighbour’s vote deleted as well.
He also accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of protecting what he called “vote thieves.”
Commission’s Position
Reiterating its stance, the ECI maintained that every addition or deletion in the voter roll follows due procedure, and the Aland incident itself showed that false applications are rejected and suspicious cases investigated. It insisted that no unlawful deletion of votes had taken place.
