Devendra Fadnavis Rejects Rahul Gandhi's Vote Theft Allegations

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis rejected allegations from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls constituted vote theft. Speaking at press conferences in Nagpur and Mumbai on September 27, 2026, Fadnavis dismissed the claims as a fake narrative intended to incite anarchy and create public distrust in constitutional bodies.

Fadnavis argued that if the SIR process were designed to remove anti-BJP voters, opposition parties would not have won in various constituencies where vote numbers were reduced. He accused Gandhi of using the Constitution as a shield to defame the Supreme Court, the Reserve Bank of India, and the Election Commission of India to push the country toward a communist or socialist system.

The dispute follows accusations from Gandhi and other opposition parties that the electoral revision involved match-fixing. Gandhi specifically demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In response, the Election Commission of India issued a press note clarifying that all SIR schedules and decisions were approved unanimously by the commissioners. The commission further clarified that a scrutinized letter to the Cabinet Secretary pertained to a deputation appointment rather than policy matters.