Madras HC Dismisses PIL on Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter List Manipulation’ Allegations, Imposes Rs. 1 Lakh Cost

The Madras High Court on September 9, 2025, dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought to direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to clarify allegations by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of "large-scale voter list manipulation" in the 2024 General Elections.

A division bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan found the petition to be "completely misconceived" and imposed a cost of Rs. 1 lakh on the petitioner.

The petition sought a writ of mandamus directing the Election Commission of India to clarify its stand on allegations of large-scale voter list manipulation in the 2024 General Elections to the 18th Lok Sabha.

It pointed out that the allegations were first presented by the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, in a PowerPoint presentation on August 7, 2025, and later echoed by Union Minister Anurag Thakur during a press conference on August 13, 2025.

As a consequential relief, the petitioner urged the court to direct the Commission to place the electoral roll data of all constituencies in a machine-readable format before the court and in the public domain.

The plea also pressed for a detailed status report on all actions, inquiries, audits, and measures taken in response to the allegations, stressing that transparency and public confidence were essential for upholding the constitutional mandate of free and fair elections under Articles 324, 14 and 19(1)(a).

Court observed that the petition was based on "sweeping directions" and lacked "concrete material".

The bench noted that the plea only referred to allegations and counter-allegations made on certain platforms, without any independent research.

The bench, addressing the primary relief sought, stated that no such direction to "clarify its position" could be granted to the Election Commission.

"It seeks this court to make roving enquiry. With the present content and form, it is vague, lacks material details and particulars," court noted.

Court further stated that the public interest litigation was "misconceived" and consequently, dismissed it with costs.

"Writ petition is misconceived and, accordingly, dismissed with costs quantified at Rs.1,00,000/- [Rupees One Lakh only] payable to the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority within one month. Consequently, interim application stands closed," court ordered.

Court also added that its order "shall not come in the way of the Election Commission in taking its own decision on issues sought to be raised in the petition".

Case Title: Adv.(C.A).V.Venkata Sivakumar vs. The Election Commission of India and Others

Order Date: September 9, 2025

Bench: Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan