Assam Congress president and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi has come out in full support of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s call for reforms in the country’s electoral system, urging citizens to join a national movement to protect democracy and ensure transparency in elections.
Gogoi said that the concerns raised by Rahul Gandhi about irregularities in the voter lists and the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) are not matters of partisan politics but of national importance. He emphasized that the credibility of elections forms the foundation of democracy and that any doubt over the fairness of the process threatens the trust of the people in the system.
“Rahul Gandhi ji is fighting for a free and fair election in India. He has continued to show the scale of the fraud in the voter lists and the cover-up by those heading the Election Commission,” Gogoi said, speaking to reporters earlier this week. “This issue is not about one party—it concerns every Indian who believes in democracy.” 
The Congress MP said that the inaction of the Election Commission on allegations of voter manipulation—referred to by many as vote chori—amounts to an admission of guilt and a failure to protect the rights of voters. He described the Election Commission’s silence as a “feeble attempt to cover up injustice against the people of India.”
According to Gogoi, the time has come for citizens, civil society, and all political parties to rise above party lines and come together for a national movement demanding accountability and reform within the Election Commission.
“This has to be a clarion call by all people,” he said. “Only public pressure can bring real change. Our democracy has survived because ordinary people have stood up whenever they saw injustice. This is one such moment.”
Gogoi said that the Election Commission is one of the most crucial institutions in India’s democratic framework and must remain independent, transparent, and trustworthy. He said that since Election Commissioners are appointed by the government, the appointment process itself must be open to public scrutiny to prevent political influence.
He added that the Commission’s role is to safeguard the purity of elections, not to become a tool in the hands of those in power. “People who are appointed by the Prime Minister must work in a fair manner. When questions are raised about the voter list and there is no clear answer, the public starts to lose trust,” Gogoi said.
The Congress leader said that doubts over voter list integrity have been increasing across states, and this growing mistrust could damage the democratic process if not addressed promptly. He said that in several constituencies, irregularities have been reported, including missing names, duplication, and unauthorized changes.
“Any issue connected to elections is directly linked to the future of the nation,” Gogoi remarked. “If people cannot trust that their vote counts, democracy itself becomes weaker.”
Gogoi’s statement comes at a time when the Opposition has been raising repeated concerns about the functioning of key institutions and the need for electoral transparency. He said that the Congress party is not seeking special treatment but is asking for fair play and adherence to the rules.
He also said that Rahul Gandhi has been consistently flagging these issues during his nationwide campaigns, focusing on how institutions must work for the people, not for the government. According to Gogoi, Gandhi’s efforts are aimed at restoring faith in democratic institutions and ensuring that the next generation inherits a robust and fair system.
The Congress MP said that reforming the Election Commission should be a collective national agenda, supported by citizens, activists, intellectuals, and political parties of all shades. “Every reform that strengthened our democracy—be it the Right to Information Act or the fight for Lokpal—began as a people’s movement. This one too must start with public awareness and unity,” Gogoi said.
He expressed hope that people across India would understand that the issue is larger than party politics. “We are not fighting for Congress or BJP. We are fighting for the right of every citizen to have a fair election,” he said, adding that the legitimacy of any government depends on free and fair elections.
Gogoi further said that silence cannot be the response to questions about the voter list or the conduct of the Election Commission. “The longer the Election Commission stays quiet, the more doubts will grow. Their silence looks like an attempt to hide wrongdoing rather than correct it,” he said.
