CM Revanth Reddy Raises Alarm Over Voter Numbers, Invokes Democratic Rights

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy questioned how the number of voters in the country could decline at a time when India’s population is continuing to grow. Speaking to the media in Delhi, he said the ongoing campaign to protect voting rights was not merely a Congress or INDIA bloc initiative, but a movement being undertaken in the interest of the people.

Revanth Reddy said India’s democratic rights were secured through decades of struggle and sacrifice. Recalling the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh, he said the country’s freedom fighters had fought for the rights and future of its people. He also referred to Dr BR Ambedkar, who, he said, ensured through the Constitution that citizens would have equal voting rights irrespective of their economic status.

The Chief Minister alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were attempting to weaken the voting rights of poorer sections of society. He accused the government of pursuing politics based on divisions involving religion, caste, region and language. He further alleged that attempts were being made to remove the votes of Dalits, Adivasis, tribal communities and minorities.

Raising questions over the country’s voter numbers, Revanth Reddy claimed that India had around 81 crore voters in 2014, 91 crore in 2019 and 97 crore in 2024. He questioned how 13 crore votes could have allegedly disappeared despite India’s population growing to around 140 crore. He demanded that Prime Minister Modi and Gyanesh Kumar explain why the number of voters had declined while the overall population continued to increase.

Revanth Reddy also called for immediate action against the Chief Election Commissioner and demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s removal from office. He said protecting voting rights should be treated as a broader democratic issue rather than a political battle involving only one party or alliance.

Invoking the legacy of Jayaprakash Narayan, the Telangana Chief Minister urged people to launch a movement on the lines of the ‘Sampoorna Kranti’ (Total Revolution) if the concerns were not addressed. He also issued a political warning to Prime Minister Modi, saying that power ultimately rested with the people and that they could force a change in leadership through democratic means.