The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka has formally requested Congress MP and Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, to submit documents backing his claim that a woman voted twice in the recent elections.
On Sunday, August 10, 2025, the state election office issued a notice to Mr. Gandhi, urging him to share the materials he referred to during a recent press conference in New Delhi. According to the CEO, these documents are crucial for conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.
During the press meet last week, Mr. Gandhi alleged that a woman named Shakun Rani had cast her vote twice and cited certain documents to support his statement. However, in an initial probe, the election office found inconsistencies.
The CEO’s letter stated that Ms. Shakun Rani denied the allegation, asserting she voted only once. Moreover, officials noted that the document Mr. Gandhi presented—appearing to show a tick mark—did not originate from the designated polling officer, as claimed.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has now asked Mr. Gandhi to submit credible proof to support his accusation. This comes after earlier requests for an affidavit under oath, which Mr. Gandhi criticized, saying he had already taken an oath in Parliament.
The notice emphasized that further investigation depends on the submission of authentic evidence related to the double voting claim.