Hours after claims made by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi following his meeting with President Droupadi Murmu.
Sources rejected the claims as ” incorrect,” on Friday, expressing concern that the President was being drawn into the controversy over alleged electoral irregularities.
The delegation, led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi, met President Murmu on Friday evening and submitted a memorandum setting out four demands concerning alleged irregularities in the electoral process. Earlier reporting noted: ‘President did not deny ‘vote chori’ allegations, asked for evidence’: Rahul Gandhi New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that votes were being stolen across the country and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of being involved in what he described as a conspiracy to undermine Indian democracy. The delegation included Congress national president Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, along with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party leader Rajiv Rai, NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah. I expected her to say that India has a free and fair electoral system.
The remarks came after Gandhi said he was “shocked” by the President’s response during a meeting with a delegation of INDIA bloc leaders, who submitted a memorandum alleging “vote chori” and seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. However, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, whose party was represented at the meeting, described the interaction as positive and said the President’s request for evidence reflected her constitutional responsibilities. Kharge said the delegation had apprised the President of its ongoing agitation and raised concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu, Rahul Gandhi said the President did not deny the Opposition’s allegations of electoral irregularities. He said the Opposition had submitted a memorandum alleging a conspiracy to undermine India’s democratic system. I was shocked and stunned that the President of India accepted what we said,” Rahul Gandhi said. Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition was prepared to present the evidence it had collected to the President.
Earlier reporting noted: “I expected the President of India to deny that ‘vote chori’ was taking place. Earlier reporting noted: He further claimed that the President had asked the Opposition to provide evidence supporting its allegations of ‘election chori’.
In a post on X, Gandhi said the Opposition delegation had presented a memorandum accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of undermining India’s electoral system. Banerjee also said the President had assured the delegation that she would go through the details and had asked the Opposition to submit evidence supporting its allegations.
“We went specifically to apprise the President of the agitation we launched four days ago regarding the theft of votes, and we presented our case fully. We highlighted the issue of vote theft and the grave error committed by Gyanesh Kumar. We demanded that EVMs be set aside and elections be conducted using ballot papers.
Furthermore, she asked for evidence regarding the instances of vote theft; we are currently compiling this evidence and will submit it… She listened attentively and stated that she would investigate the matter thoroughly, consult the concerned parties, and determine the appropriate course of action,” Kharge said.
