Mangaluru – Former minister Ramanath Rai has asserted that the Election Commission must respond to the questions raised by Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, regarding alleged irregularities in the voting process.
Addressing a press conference at the Dakshina Kannada District Congress office, Rai said that in a democracy, it is the opposition’s responsibility to question constitutional bodies when mistakes occur, and Rahul Gandhi has done just that. He expressed his full support for Gandhi’s stance.
Rai emphasized that Gandhi’s concerns about ensuring transparency in elections and the voter list errors he highlighted deserve serious discussion. “It is the Election Commission that should respond to these allegations, but instead, BJP leaders are speaking on its behalf,” he remarked, adding that BJP leader Limbavali’s statements effectively acknowledge and confirm the Commission’s mistakes.
He further noted that Rahul Gandhi has consistently sought to cleanse the voter list and has demanded video and soft copies of the last 10 years’ records from the Election Commission. Gandhi had previously raised similar issues during the Maharashtra and Haryana elections, but those responsible remained silent. Now, with the Bihar elections underway, the matter has resurfaced.
Rai concluded by saying that if elections are to remain transparent, collective efforts are needed to prevent voter fraud, and the points raised by Rahul Gandhi must be addressed with seriousness.