The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission has assured the High Court that it is fully prepared to hold the upcoming local body by-elections on August 10, 2025, in a free, fair, and peaceful manner.
This assurance was given in response to a writ petition filed by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) General Secretary Lella Appi Reddy, who urged the court to direct the commission to adopt stricter safeguards during the polls.
YSRCP’s Call For Stronger Safeguards
In his petition, Reddy stressed the importance of creating a level playing field for all candidates. He sought several measures, including:
- Installation of CCTV cameras and live webcasting at polling stations
- Police security for contesting candidates
- Appointment of independent election observers
- Setting up dedicated control rooms
- Comprehensive video recording of the entire election process
These steps, Reddy argued, would help protect the integrity of the polls and boost public trust in the system.
Rahul Gandhi Accuses EC Of “Choreographed” Elections
In a separate political development, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was overseeing “choreographed” elections.
Speaking at a press conference, Gandhi said that while Congress had secured wins in several Karnataka seats, the BJP swept Mahadevapura despite Congress’s internal data showing otherwise.
“Elections are choreographed… Our internal polling told us we would win 16 seats in Karnataka; we won nine. We then focused on seven unexpected losses. We chose one Lok Sabha, and our team decided we could only focus on one Vidhan Sabha (seat). So we focused on Mahadevapur…” he remarked.
Allegations Of “Vote Theft”
Rahul Gandhi further claimed his team uncovered 1,00,250 stolen votes in Mahadevapura through multiple fraudulent methods, including:
- Duplicate voter entries
- Invalid or fake addresses
- Mass registration of voters at a single address
- False records of residents in buildings where they did not actually live
“We found 1,00,250 votes stolen… But when we go there, no record of those people living there. One family living in that house,” Gandhi alleged.
The following day, he doubled down on the claim via X, saying, “Vote theft is not just an electoral scam, it is a major betrayal committed against the Constitution and democracy. Let the nation’s culprits hear this – times will change, punishment will surely be meted out.”
Meira Kumar Stresses EC’s Constitutional Role
On July 27, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar also addressed concerns over the fairness of elections, expressing “hope” that the ECI would uphold its constitutional mandate.
“Our Constitution has entrusted the responsibility of conducting elections to the Election Commission… It is their solemn duty to conduct fair elections and ensure the complete trust of the country’s people. I hope they will work towards this,” she told reporters during the Special Intensive Revision in Bihar.
Read More: Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, States High Court, International
