Election Commission clarifies Rahul Gandhi’s ‘6,018 votes deleted’ claim, says FIR already filed for 5,994 incorrect and rejected applications
The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka has issued a detailed clarification on Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that 6,018 ‘Congress votes’ were deleted in the Aland constituency in Karnataka in 2023. The Congress leader had claimed that 6,018 applications were filed impersonating voters and these applications were filed automatically using mobile numbers from outside Karnataka. Responding to this, the CEO of Karnataka said that while 6018 applications were indeed received for deletion of voters, only 24 of them were found to be genuine. The rest 5,994 incorrect applications were rejected and not deleted, and an FIR was filed against the fraudulent applications. The CEO stated 6,018 applications in Form 7 were submitted online using various apps such as NVSP, VHA, GARUDA apps during December 2022. Suspecting the genuineness of such a large number of applications submitted online for deletion of elector names in Aland assembly constituency, verification of each application was conducted. Aland Case 2023@ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/Z35F0PlWPW— Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) September 18, 2025 After the verification, only 24 applications were found to be genuine and the rest 5,994 were found to be incorrect, which were rejected and the names were not removed from voter list. Moreover, based on the inquiry findings by respective BLOs, an FIR was lodged with the Inspector of Police, Aland Police Station, Kalaburagi district on 21 February 2023. The statement added that based on the instructions given by ECI, the CEO, Kanataka has handed over all the available information with ECI to Superintendent of Police, Kalaburagi for completing the investigation. This information includes details of the objectors who filed the deletion requests, including Form Reference Number, name of the Objector, his EPIC number and mobile number used for log-in and mobile number provided by the Objector for processing, software application medium, IP address, applicant place, Form submission date and time, and user creation date. After providing the requested information, meetings were also conducted by the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka with the Investigating Officer and Cyber Security experts of the Police to review the progress of the investigation. The probe is still going on and election officials have been providing any other assistance/information/documents required by investigators. Earlier in the day, the ECI had already debunked Rahul Gandhi’s claims, clarifying that nobody can delete any voter from voter list online. Form 7 The Form 7 is used to delete a voter’s name from voter list of a constituency, or to object to inclusion of a voter in the voter list of a constituency. Voters can file Form 7 themselves for deletion of their name from voter list, when they shift constituencies, so that their names can be added to the new constituency. Third parties also can register objection to a voter already registered in the voter roll, or can file objection to the proposed inclusion of an entry in the electoral roll of the constituency, if they suspect that person to be an illegal voter in that constituency. Filing of such third-party deletion request does not result in automatic removal of the name from the voter list. The Election Commission hears the affected the voter first, and takes any action only after that.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka has issued a detailed clarification on Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that 6,018 ‘Congress votes’ were deleted in the Aland constituency in Karnataka in 2023. The Congress leader had claimed that 6,018 applications were filed impersonating voters and these applications were filed automatically using mobile numbers from outside Karnataka.
Responding to this, the CEO of Karnataka said that while 6018 applications were indeed received for deletion of voters, only 24 of them were found to be genuine. The rest 5,994 incorrect applications were rejected and not deleted, and an FIR was filed against the fraudulent applications.
The CEO stated 6,018 applications in Form 7 were submitted online using various apps such as NVSP, VHA, GARUDA apps during December 2022. Suspecting the genuineness of such a large number of applications submitted online for deletion of elector names in Aland assembly constituency, verification of each application was conducted.
Aland Case 2023@ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/Z35F0PlWPW
— Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) September 18, 2025
After the verification, only 24 applications were found to be genuine and the rest 5,994 were found to be incorrect, which were rejected and the names were not removed from voter list.
Moreover, based on the inquiry findings by respective BLOs, an FIR was lodged with the Inspector of Police, Aland Police Station, Kalaburagi district on 21 February 2023.
The statement added that based on the instructions given by ECI, the CEO, Kanataka has handed over all the available information with ECI to Superintendent of Police, Kalaburagi for completing the investigation. This information includes details of the objectors who filed the deletion requests, including Form Reference Number, name of the Objector, his EPIC number and mobile number used for log-in and mobile number provided by the Objector for processing, software application medium, IP address, applicant place, Form submission date and time, and user creation date.
After providing the requested information, meetings were also conducted by the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka with the Investigating Officer and Cyber Security experts of the Police to review the progress of the investigation. The probe is still going on and election officials have been providing any other assistance/information/documents required by investigators.
Earlier in the day, the ECI had already debunked Rahul Gandhi’s claims, clarifying that nobody can delete any voter from voter list online.
Form 7
The Form 7 is used to delete a voter’s name from voter list of a constituency, or to object to inclusion of a voter in the voter list of a constituency. Voters can file Form 7 themselves for deletion of their name from voter list, when they shift constituencies, so that their names can be added to the new constituency.
Third parties also can register objection to a voter already registered in the voter roll, or can file objection to the proposed inclusion of an entry in the electoral roll of the constituency, if they suspect that person to be an illegal voter in that constituency.
Filing of such third-party deletion request does not result in automatic removal of the name from the voter list. The Election Commission hears the affected the voter first, and takes any action only after that.
