Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has sparked a major political controversy by alleging systematic voter suppression in the national capital. During a visit to the Bela Estate slum area near the Yamuna banks on September 28, 2026, Gandhi claimed that nearly all residents had been stripped of their voting rights. According to the leader, out of 728 residents, 727 names were deleted from the electoral rolls following a Special Internal Review (SIR), leaving just a single registered voter in the entire community.
The Leader of Opposition took to social media to express his outrage, using the hashtag #VoteChori to highlight what he describes as the theft of democratic rights. Gandhi emphasized that these residents have lived in the area for decades and had successfully cast their ballots in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2025 Delhi assembly polls. He argued that the recent demolition of their homes in 2023 should not be used as a pretext to disenfranchise them, as they continue to reside at the same location.
- 727 names deleted — Only one voter remains out of 728 residents at Bela Estate
- #VoteChori trend — Allegations of voter theft spark massive debate on social media
- House Number 0 policy — Gandhi cites CEC's rule for registering homeless voters
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X: "यमुना किनारे बेला एस्टेट में 728 लोग रहते हैं। SIR के बाद वोटर लिस्ट में सिर्फ़ एक नाम बचा - बाकी 727 नाम काट दिए गए। ये लोग दशकों से यहाँ रह रहे हैं। 2024 के लोकसभा चुनाव और 2025 के दिल्ली चुनावों में वोट डाल चुके हैं। 2023 में इनके घर तोड़ दिए गए थे - पर ये कहीं नहीं गए, यहीं हैं। आज मैं इनकी झुग्गी में गया और सीधे इन्हीं से सुना कि चुनाव आयोग ने इनके साथ क्या किया है। SDM से फ़ोन पर मैंने यही कहा - मकान होने या न होने का वोट के अधिकार से कोई रिश्ता नहीं है। ख़ुद CEC ज्ञानेश कुमार कह चुके हैं कि 'हाउस नंबर 0' बेघरों के लिए है। फिर भी 727 लोगों का नाम काट दिया गया। यह SIR नहीं - यह वोट चोरी का तरीक़ा है। जिनके पास पहले ही सबसे कम है, उनसे उनकी इकलौती ताक़त छीनी जा रही है। ज्ञानेश कुमार तो जाएँगे। पर जिस सिस्टम ने उनसे यह करवाया, उसका हिसाब भी होगा।"
During his visit, Gandhi reportedly contacted the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) via telephone to demand an explanation for the mass deletions. He pointed out that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, had previously clarified that homeless individuals or those without a permanent structure can be registered under 'House Number 0'. The Congress leader argued that the removal of names based on the absence of a physical house is a direct violation of the Election Commission's own guidelines.
The residents of Bela Estate shared their grievances with the Congress leader, explaining that they have nowhere else to go. Despite the 2023 demolitions, the community has remained on the site, maintaining their identity as local residents. Gandhi asserted that the SIR process is being weaponized to target the most vulnerable sections of society, effectively silencing those who have the least. He warned that the officials responsible for these actions would eventually be held accountable for undermining the democratic process.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has yet to issue a formal response to these specific allegations. However, the controversy has already gained significant traction online, with the post garnering over 15,000 likes within hours. Supporters of the Congress party are calling for a thorough investigation into the SIR procedures across other parts of Delhi, fearing that similar deletions might have occurred in other low-income neighborhoods. The BJP, on the other hand, has often maintained that voter list updates are routine administrative tasks aimed at removing duplicates and non-residents.
As the Delhi political climate heats up, the issue of voter registration for the urban poor is likely to become a central theme in upcoming electoral battles. Rahul Gandhi's intervention highlights the ongoing tension between urban development projects, which often lead to displacements, and the preservation of constitutional rights. The fate of the 727 deleted voters at Bela Estate now rests on whether the Election Commission will conduct a re-verification process ahead of future polls.
