Investigation Request Submitted to the Supreme Court by the PIL for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine Rahul Gandhi's claims of manipulation in the electoral rolls

In a significant development, a public interest litigation (PIL) petition has been filed before the Supreme Court, seeking a probe into allegations of electoral roll manipulation in the Mahadevapura assembly constituency in Bengaluru. The petition, filed by lawyer, advocate Rohit Pandey, relies on a press conference held by opposition political parties on August 7, 2025.

The plea contends that the allegations of electoral roll manipulation directly undermine the constitutional vision of free and fair elections. What is at stake, the plea states, is not the outcome of a single electoral contest, but the integrity and credibility of the electoral roll itself, the bedrock upon which the entire democratic process stands.

The petition seeks directions for the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish electoral rolls in accessible, machine-readable, and OCR-compliant formats. It also seeks directions for the ECI to frame and issue binding guidelines for transparency, accountability, and integrity in electoral roll preparation, maintenance, and publication.

The plea further seeks a court-monitored probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a former judge. The reliefs sought include directions to halt further finalisation of rolls until an independent audit is carried out, and binding guidelines to ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity in the preparation, maintenance, and publication of electoral rolls.

The petitioner found sufficient prima facie material to establish that the allegations reveal a systemic attempt to dilute and distort the value of lawful votes. The PIL annexes examples of alleged irregularities, including approximately 40,000-50,000 voters recorded with identical addresses and father's names in Karnataka, and approximately 80 voters registered at one and the same address in Chandrapur, Maharashtra.

If proven, these allegations necessitate urgent intervention of the Supreme Court. The petitioner is gravely concerned that if the allegations are true, they strike at the core of the "one person, one vote" principle enshrined under Articles 325 and 326 of the Constitution. The issue of electoral roll manipulation goes to the foundation of the democratic process, according to the plea.

The petition seeks a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into allegations of electoral roll manipulation in Bengaluru Central and other constituencies. The petitioner hopes that the Supreme Court will take cognizance of the petition and initiate action to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process and maintain the faith of the citizens in the democratic system.