SC Refuses SIT Probe into Rahul Gandhi’s 'Vote Chori' Allegations, Directs Petitioner to Approach ECI

On October 13, 2025 (Monday), the Supreme Court (SC) of India was hearing a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into the allegations raised by the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, regarding the electoral roll manipulation, ‘vote chori,’ in the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency. The two-judge bench of the SC, consisting of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, refused to entertain the PIL and directed the petitioner, Rohit Pandey, to ‘pursue the ECI (Election Commission of India)’ for redressal of his grievance. The bench said, “We have heard the petitioner’s counsel. We are not inclined to entertain the petition, which is purportedly filed in the public interest. The petitioner may pursue before ECI, if so advised.” 

During the hearing, the petitioner cited all the allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi related to the electoral roll manipulation (on August 07). The plea of Pandey stated, “There should be no further revision or finalisation of electoral rolls be undertaken until compliance with the court's directions and completion of an independent audit of the rolls.”  The petition detailed anomalies such as voters possessing different EPIC (Electoral Photo Identity Card) numbers in multiple states, despite the EPIC being designed as a unique identifier. Furthermore, the PIL brought to light instances of numerous voters sharing identical addresses and fathers’ names, including one highly suspicious case where nearly 80 voters in a single booth allegedly shared the address of a small house, raising grave doubts about the authenticity of the rolls and the high potential for bogus voting.

Moreover, the petitioner also sought a stay on all ongoing electoral roll revisions and a complete independent audit. He also sought directions to the ECI to publish proper guidelines that would ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity in the preparation, maintenance, and publication of electoral rolls. After hearing the matter, the SC disposed of the petition and also declined the counsel's request to impose a time-bound directive on the ECI for deciding the matter, thus referring the complaint back to the jurisdiction of the electoral watchdog for appropriate action.