Brazilian Woman’s Vote in Haryana? Inside the truth about India’s voter lists

New Delhi: A political storm erupted after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged large-scale voter list fraud in Haryana, claiming that 25 lakh votes were “stolen” in the 2024 state elections. His most striking claim, that a Brazilian model’s photograph was used repeatedly in the voter list — has triggered debate and disbelief alike. Gandhi presented examples where the same woman’s image allegedly appeared 22 times under different names such as “Sweety,” “Seema,” and “Saraswati.” He claimed these fake entries allowed vote manipulation in favour of the ruling party. The charge comes ahead of renewed political battles, raising questions on how such duplication could occur in India’s highly digitised voter registration system. How Voter Lists Are Actually Made? In India, the voter list, officially known as the Electoral Roll, is prepared and maintained by the Election Commission of India (ECI) under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The process begins with local Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who verify citizens’ details through door-to-door surveys, identity checks, and address confirmation. Once compiled, these lists are made public for corrections and objections. Citizens can view, object, or request deletions if they find discrepancies. Each voter is assigned a unique identification number linked with the EPIC card (Voter ID). Duplicate entries are supposed to be detected and removed during the “Special Summary Revision” and “Special Intensive Revision” processes held annually. Experts note that while errors like repetition of names or mismatched photographs can occur due to clerical or data-entry mistakes, the system has multiple checkpoints to correct them. The introduction of Aadhaar linking has further strengthened the verification process, making large-scale identity duplication almost impossible. Seema, Sweety, Who? Rahul Gandhi Claims Brazilian Model Voted 22 Times In Haryana Could a Foreign National’s Photo Appear in Voter Lists? The claim of a “Brazilian model” featuring on multiple voter IDs might not imply an actual foreign citizen voting in India. Voter lists sometimes use sample or placeholder images when photographs are missing or improperly uploaded during bulk data entry, especially in local offices still transitioning from manual to digital formats. Such images, often drawn from publicly available stock photo databases, are placeholders until genuine photographs are verified and uploaded. Election officials can remove these entries instantly if discrepancies are pointed out during verification drives. However, allegations that these were used to facilitate real votes, if proven, would constitute a serious breach of electoral law. The Election Commission insists that any suspicion of duplication or fake voting can be challenged through formal complaints and verified with CCTV and voter slips. Rahul Gandhi alleges vote-stealing detected in Haryana, Karnataka, and MP Why Transparency Matters? India’s elections are among the largest and most scrutinised democratic exercises in the world. But controversies like this highlight the need for greater transparency, especially in updating and auditing voter data. Independent audits, regular publication of verified statistics, and increased public participation in roll verification could help prevent misinformation and restore public confidence. The Bottom Line While Rahul Gandhi’s “Brazilian voter” claim has stirred public curiosity and political fire, experts suggest it is unlikely that a foreign citizen could actually vote in India. The controversy, however, underscores a larger concern, the trust deficit in institutions that safeguard democracy.