KALABURAGI: The probe into the fraudulent deletion of 6,018 names from the voter list for the Aland Assembly constituency in Karnataka ahead of the 2023 state polls — flagged by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as an instance of “vote chori” — is reportedly leading investigators to associates of the losing BJP candidate from the seat.

Raids conducted by CID’s Special Investigation Team

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) carried out raids on Friday at multiple properties allegedly linked to former BJP candidate Subhash Guttedar, who lost from Aland in the 2023 election. The searches were conducted simultaneously in Kalaburagi and Aland, with teams seizing digital records, documents, and other materials relevant to the investigation.

Officials said the raids were part of ongoing efforts to trace the network behind the alleged large-scale deletion of voter names ahead of the polls. According to preliminary findings, the deletions were concentrated in areas seen as Congress strongholds, raising suspicions of targeted manipulation.

Political storm over voter list manipulation

The issue of deleted voter names surfaced prominently after several residents of Aland reported being unable to cast their votes during the 2023 Assembly election. The Congress accused the ruling BJP at the time of engineering “systematic voter suppression” to influence the result.

Rahul Gandhi, during his “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra” in Karnataka earlier this year, had cited Aland as one of the major examples of what he termed “vote chori” — alleging that electoral rolls were deliberately tampered with in multiple constituencies across the state.

Following public outcry and petitions from opposition leaders, the Election Commission of India had directed the Karnataka Police to conduct a thorough inquiry. The state government subsequently handed over the case to the CID, which formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the allegations.

Links to local officials under scrutiny

Investigators are reportedly examining whether local government employees, including booth-level officers, played a role in facilitating the deletions. Sources said the SIT is analysing digital audit trails from the Election Commission’s voter management system to identify where and how the irregularities occurred.

Officers said that the 6,018 deletions were made between February and April 2023, a period leading up to the election notification. Many of the removed names were of residents who had voted in previous elections and continued to live in the same addresses, according to local complaints.

Political reactions and next steps

Reacting to the latest developments, Congress leaders demanded that the state government ensure accountability, claiming that the voter list tampering amounted to an attempt to “steal democracy.” BJP leaders, meanwhile, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, stating that the party had no role in the deletions and welcoming a fair investigation.

The SIT, which has questioned several election officials and data entry operators so far, is expected to submit an interim report to the state government by the end of this month. Further summons are likely to be issued to individuals connected to the properties searched on Friday.

Conclusion

The case has intensified the debate over electoral integrity in Karnataka, with opposition parties urging stronger safeguards to prevent voter list manipulation in future elections. As the investigation progresses, it could have broader implications for how voter databases are managed and monitored across the state.