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The plan includes creating a battery of lawyers, constitutional experts, and civil society members to act as watchdogs against any wrongdoing or violations of the Constitution
The Congress organised a protest rally and march against ‘large-scale vote theft’, at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Friday. Image/X
Karnataka’s deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, during Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Bengaluru on Friday as part of his protest against “vote theft“, announced that the Congress government supports the setting up of a “legal bank” in the state.
“I agree with you, Rahulji,” said Shivakumar, speaking at the protest rally. “It is your wish that ‘legal banks’ should be set up to protect the rights of every voter at the booth level. I assure the party that we will work towards setting up such banks on the lines of blood banks.”
Rahul Gandhi has accused the BJP of orchestrating what he called a “huge criminal fraud” in the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency, specifically pointing to the Mahadevapura assembly segment, where he claimed over 1,00,250 votes were “stolen” in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Calling it a “vote chori” (vote theft) operation, the Congress leader alleged that the fraud was carried out with the help of the Election Commission. Both the BJP and EC have rejected these claims.
So, what exactly are these “legal banks”? Congress insiders explained that during an All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi proposed starting “legal banks”.
“The role of a legal bank would be to protect democracy, votes, and most importantly, our Constitution,” a senior Congress functionary told News18.
Congress leaders in Karnataka explained to News18 that the idea is to have an immediate legal bank of lawyers and legal aid to check voter fraud, assure voters that their rights are safeguarded, and initiate legal proceedings in court with strong evidence to protect democracy.
The proposal includes creating a strong battery of lawyers, constitutional experts, and members from civil society who would act as watchdogs against any wrongdoing or violations of the Constitution. Their job would be to maintain constant vigilance and act immediately. As one leader put it, “Justice delayed is almost like justice denied, so it is better to act swiftly and have the first-mover advantage.”
Congress state units already have legal cells, but this initiative is expected to be extended to the districts and down to the grassroots, ensuring every Congress worker can access legal aid without delay. Many party workers are currently battling legal cases or facing what the Congress alleges are false charges, and a dedicated legal aid unit would provide swift and methodical relief. The larger goal, insiders say, is to build a stronger legal team within the party and fight for justice for the people.
Rahul Gandhi had also pointed to the BJP’s alleged targeting of specific constituencies, with particular focus on the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha seat, where Congress candidate Mansoor Ali Khan lost by just 32,707 votes to the BJP’s three-time MP PC Mohan. The Congress alleged major fraudulent activities, including “fake votes” to a scale of close to 1 lakh in one constituency itself, played a role in the defeat of the party’s candidate and believes the legal bank will be a tool to fight such cases in the future.
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t…Read More
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t… Read More
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