Opposition Intensifies Allegations of Large-Scale EVM Manipulation as Bihar Result Sparks New Controversy

Analysts aligned with the opposition insist that unless Congress and other parties organize sustained nationwide protests, the existing pattern will continue: BJP will “win at will,” while opposition leaders issue periodic statements that have no practical impact.

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | December 12, 2025

A fresh political storm has erupted in India as Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi–led government of evading critical questions on electoral integrity, particularly the alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs). Gandhi described Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s reply to the Lok Sabha debate on “electoral reforms” as “totally defensive,” claiming that Shah failed to address core concerns raised by the opposition.

Speaking outside Parliament, Gandhi said the government must explain why voter rolls remain opaque, why the architecture of EVMs is concealed from opposition parties, and how BJP functionaries were allegedly found casting votes in both Haryana and Bihar—accusations he claims to have backed with “solid proof” presented at earlier press conferences.

The Congress leader also questioned why the government altered the law to remove the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee for Election Commissioners and why the new law grants ECs broad immunity—changes that opposition MPs describe as enabling the Executive to consolidate control over the electoral machinery.

EVM Tampering Allegations Re-Emerge

Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and several smaller regional parties have repeatedly accused the Modi government of large-scale EVM manipulation. While opposition parties have long spoken about errors in voter rolls, sudden special revisions of electoral lists, and welfare-scheme-linked inducements, they now argue that these methods alone cannot deliver the sweeping victories repeatedly seen over the past decade.

In 2024, Gandhi said at a Mumbai rally that the “soul of the King [Modi] is in the EVM,” asserting that the Prime Minister “cannot win elections without EVMs.” Yadav, speaking in Parliament the same year, declared that he would not trust EVMs “even if we win 80 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh.”

Multiple opposition leaders and civil society groups allege that the BJP selectively manipulates EVMs in Lok Sabha and key state elections—while allowing non-critical states such as Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Himachal Pradesh to elect regional parties in order to maintain the appearance of a functioning democracy.

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Bihar 2025: A Case Study in Growing Distrust

The recent November 2025 Bihar Assembly election intensified public suspicion. BJP-led alliances won over 200 out of 243 seats, a result that several opposition parties called “implausible.”

Opposition leaders of different political parties alleged that some BJP candidates received nearly identical vote totals across different constituencies—an anomaly they claim is only possible through tampering with digital vote-counting systems.

Rahul Gandhi, however, did not foreground the EVM issue during campaigning. Critics argue that his focus on rallies and yatras on unrelated topics contributed to the opposition’s dismal performance.

Opposition Weakness and Fear of Reprisal

While opposition parties occasionally issue statements about EVM concerns, most leaders retreat quickly and avoid sustained confrontation. Political analysts say that fear of reprisals—from Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations to disqualification or arrest—has created a climate in which political leaders “self-censor.”

Civil society groups attempting independent audits face police obstruction. In 2024, residents of Markadwadi village in Solapur called off a planned mock ballot-paper election to test EVM reliability after local authorities threatened to use force.

Opposition parties argue that such crackdowns indicate a coordinated effort to prevent public verification exercises that could expose systemic EVM vulnerabilities.

Election Commission Under Scrutiny

Critics say the Election Commission of India (ECI) appears increasingly aligned with the government. Opposition MPs and constitutional experts point to several developments:

• ECI’s refusal to release CCTV footage from counting centers

• ECI’s silence on alleged duplication of votes and mismatched totals

• Sudden overnight revisions of voter rolls in multiple states

• Reluctance to permit 100% VVPAT–EVM matching

• The new law allowing the ruling government to dominate EC appointments

In an RMN Foundation Poll, 89% of respondents said elections should be conducted using ballot papers instead of EVMs. Only 9% supported continued EVM use.

A “Smokescreen” of Welfare Schemes and Rhetoric

Analysts argue that welfare schemes, anti-Pakistan rhetoric, and communal polarization are used as a “smokescreen” to mask deeper structural manipulation. In the months preceding key elections, the government typically announces new cash-transfer schemes or intensifies rhetoric targeting Pakistan or Indian Muslims.

Opposition parties contend that these tactics create a narrative that BJP victories are the result of popular support rather than technological EVM manipulation.

Shrinking Democratic Space

Opposition parties say Parliament and social media debates have become largely symbolic. Civil society protests have weakened due to fear of arrests, internet shutdowns, sedition cases, and anti-terror charges.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court and ECI have repeatedly declined urgent petitions demanding EVM transparency, a move critics say reveals institutional capitulation.

A detailed political research study, Unveiling the Smokescreen of Indian Democracy, argues that Modi’s electoral dominance relies on a complex architecture of structural manipulation concealed behind layers of economic, political, and communal distractions.

Call for Boycott and Mass Mobilization

Analysts aligned with the opposition insist that unless Congress and other parties organize sustained nationwide protests, the existing pattern will continue: BJP will “win at will,” while opposition leaders issue periodic statements that have no practical impact.

Some experts now call for an outright boycott of all EVM-based elections until ballot papers are reinstated.

As the debate intensifies, citizens and political observers await whether the opposition will escalate its demands—or whether another election cycle will pass without resolution of the core question: Are India’s elections as transparent as they claim to be?

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.