Citizenship – Delhi Court to Hear Plea Over Voter Roll Entry
Citizenship – A Delhi court is set to take up a criminal revision petition on Saturday concerning allegations related to the inclusion of Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s name in the electoral rolls before she formally acquired Indian citizenship.
Petition Challenges Earlier Magistrate Order
The plea has been filed by advocate Vikas Tripathi, who has questioned a September 11, 2025 order passed by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia. In that order, the magistrate declined to direct the registration of a police case or order an investigation into the complaint.
Tripathi’s petition argues that the trial court erred in dismissing the matter without allowing a deeper probe into the circumstances under which Sonia Gandhi’s name allegedly appeared in the New Delhi constituency voter list in 1980.
Timeline of Citizenship and Voter List Entry
According to the petitioner, Sonia Gandhi’s name was first recorded in the electoral rolls nearly three years before she formally obtained Indian citizenship in April 1983. The plea contends that such an entry could not have taken place without the use of fabricated or forged documents and therefore constitutes a cognisable offence under the law.
The petition further states that her name was removed from the rolls in 1982 and then restored in 1983 after she became an Indian citizen. The petitioner has argued that this sequence raises legal concerns about how the earlier entry was processed and approved.
Special Court Takes Up Revision Plea
On December 9, 2025, Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Vishal Gogne at the Rouse Avenue Courts agreed to examine the revision petition. Notices were issued to Sonia Gandhi and the Delhi Police, and the matter was scheduled for further hearing.
The court’s decision to consider the revision plea does not indicate any finding on the merits of the allegations but allows the arguments to be examined in detail at the appellate level.
Magistrate’s View on Judicial Limits
While dismissing the original complaint, the magistrate court had observed that directing a police investigation in such matters could amount to judicial overreach. The court noted that electoral processes are governed by constitutional authorities and are subject to specific legal remedies.
Citing Article 329 of the Constitution, the magistrate held that courts are generally barred from intervening in electoral matters outside the framework of election petitions. The order stated that initiating a criminal inquiry into voter list entries could intrude upon areas assigned to the Election Commission of India and other constitutional bodies.
Response From Sonia Gandhi
In her response to the revision petition, Sonia Gandhi has described the allegations as politically motivated and lacking factual basis. She has maintained that matters concerning citizenship fall exclusively within the domain of the Central government, while issues related to electoral rolls are handled by the Election Commission of India.
Her submission to the court also states that no reliable documentary evidence has been presented to substantiate claims of forgery or fraudulent documentation. The plea, she argues, represents a misuse of legal proceedings.
Political Reactions Intensify Debate
The case has drawn political attention, with leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party alleging past irregularities in voter list management by the Congress. Some BJP representatives have referred to the present proceedings as an example of what they claim were systemic lapses.
The Congress party, however, has rejected these accusations, calling them unfounded and retaliatory in nature. Party leaders have asserted that the allegations are designed to create controversy without substantive proof.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed reporters outside Parliament, questioning whether any concrete evidence exists to support the claims. She stated that Sonia Gandhi cast her vote only after becoming an Indian citizen and dismissed the charges as entirely false.
As the court prepares to hear arguments, the focus will remain on whether the revision petition establishes sufficient grounds for further investigation. The outcome of the hearing could clarify the legal boundaries between electoral administration and criminal inquiry in matters involving voter registration and citizenship status.