Sources in the Chief Minister's Office said the SIT was formed based on the allegations raised by Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Published Sep 21, 2025 | 11:19 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 21, 2025 | 11:42 AM
Rahul Gandhi accused the Chief Election Commissioner of aiding the 'murderers of democracy'.
Synopsis: Rahul Gandhi alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was aiding vote theft by protecting “the murderers of democracy,” and presented purported evidence from the Aland constituency.
The Karnataka government has formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the unauthorised exclusion of voters from the electoral roll in Kalaburagi district’s Aland Assembly Constituency.
BK Singh, ADGP, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), will head the team, assisted by Saidulu Adavath and Shubhanwita, both SPs, CID.
“The government has decided that it is appropriate to constitute a Special Investigation Team of the CID comprising the above officers to investigate the case No. 26/2023 under Sections 182, 419, 464, 465 IPC registered at the Aland Police Station, Kalaburagi District, regarding the unauthorized exclusion of voters from the electoral roll in Aland Assembly Constituency, Kalaburagi District, and to empower the said investigation team to conduct investigations and submit the investigation report to the competent courts,” the government notification on the formation of the team said.
Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said the SIT was formed based on the allegations raised by Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Congress MLA BR Patil had first flagged the alleged voter fraud in Aland, ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.
A probe into the allegations by the CID hit a roadblock as the Election Commission of India (ECI) reportedly did not share the technical data sought to identify the culprits.
On Thursday, 18 September, Rahul Gandhi alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was aiding vote theft by protecting “the murderers of democracy,” and presented purported evidence from the Aland constituency.
Congress leader and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said the ECI and the CEO’s office in Karnataka were misleading the people on the probe into the alleged voter fraud in Aland.
Taking to X, Kharge said the ECI and CEO were “blatantly lying, saying that they have given all the required information to the state CID”.
The minister listed five questions for which he said the ECI had not replied.
“The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, had sent a reminder to you on 14.03.2025 seeking information on:
Direct the concerned to arrange a presentation with respect to the allegation made and step-by-step usage of NVSP, VHA, and Garuda apps from the voter/public perspective to the investigation team.
Despite multiple reminders, you have been playing dumb and lying to the public that you have furnished all details to the investigation agencies,” Kharge said.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
