Vote Theft Row Explained: Why the Opposition Is Protesting

The opposition’s vote theft allegation has triggered street protests in Delhi. Here is what the row is about.
The claim: the INDIA bloc alleges large-scale manipulation of voter lists to benefit the BJP. Opposition leaders say eligible voters were deleted in Delhi and Mumbai. They demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The trigger: a September 30 newspaper report said the Election Commission pushed large voter-list changes despite objections from two commissioners. The opposition announced protests the same day. Rahul Gandhi has also objected to changes around Form 6, used for voter registration.
The EC’s defence: the Commission says all its actions were lawful. It says differences inside the institution are normal. It has asked Rahul Gandhi to submit his claims under oath, warning that unsworn claims would be treated as baseless.
The protests: an October 6 march to the EC office saw detentions. AAP joined a fresh protest on October 7. A rally is planned for November 1. The BJP denies all charges.
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