DK Shivakumar Supports Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations of Voter Fraud in Karnataka

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar supported Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of voter fraud, claiming bogus entries were added and legitimate voters removed without documents. The Congress plans to present evidence of manipulation in several booths, warning of its impact on upcoming elections and calling the situation a “very big injustice.”

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday backed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of voter manipulation in the state, calling the situation a “very big injustice.” He claimed that research conducted by the Congress party uncovered widespread voter irregularities, particularly in urban polling booths, during the voter list revision process.

Shivakumar alleged that numerous votes were shifted without proper documentation and that many bogus entries were added to the electoral rolls. “We found that votes were shifted there from various places without any proper documents. All bogus votes were created,” he said, vowing to present the findings both to the public and the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The statement follows Rahul Gandhi’s strong accusation on July 24, where he claimed to have “100 per cent proof” of deliberate manipulation in at least one Karnataka constituency. Gandhi alleged that thousands of voters aged 50 to 65 were mysteriously added, while eligible younger voters were deleted without explanation. He stopped short of presenting the evidence publicly but hinted at a broader pattern across multiple constituencies.

Shivakumar confirmed that several Congress-held constituencies were affected, asserting that the manipulation has distorted electoral fairness. “Whether the Election Commission agrees or not, we will present our findings to the public,” he added.

The controversy arises amid the ongoing Standardisation and Improvement of Register (SIR) exercise, which opposition parties including Congress and Samajwadi Party argue is being misused to remove voters from marginalized communities. They claim this effort could skew results in upcoming assembly elections.

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While the Election Commission has not responded to the latest allegations, pressure is mounting for an independent investigation. Shivakumar’s support adds weight to the opposition’s charge that the integrity of the electoral process is being compromised.