Delhi Court Rejects Plea Against Sonia Gandhi: No Probe on Voter Roll Allegations

New Delhi, September 11, 2025 – A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed a plea that demanded a probe against senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over her name being allegedly included in the electoral roll years before she officially became an Indian citizen. The plea had stirred political chatter, but the court found no grounds to order an investigation.

The Complaint and its Claims

The complaint was filed by Advocate Vikas Tripathi, who is also the Vice-President of the Rouse Avenue Court Bar Association. He alleged that Sonia Gandhi’s name appeared in the voter list of the New Delhi constituency in 1980, even though she formally became an Indian citizen only on April 30, 1983.

Tripathi pointed out that her name was later removed from the rolls in 1982 and again added in 1983. According to him, this sequence of events raised serious questions about how a person who was not yet a citizen could be included as a voter in the first place.

The plea stressed that Indian citizenship is a basic requirement for anyone to be included in the electoral rolls. Registering a non-citizen, it argued, was not only a mistake but also an act that could amount to forgery or manipulation of official records.

The complainant also cited an earlier judgment of the Allahabad High Court in 1985 (Rakesh Singh vs Sonia Gandhi), where her citizenship date was clearly stated as April 30, 1983. This, he argued, made the earlier voter list entries unlawful.

The Court’s Response

The case came before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Vaibhav Chaurasia at the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. After hearing arguments from Tripathi and his legal team, the court reserved its order earlier this week before delivering its judgment on Thursday.

The judge noted that documents from the early 1980s could not be assessed in the same way as modern identification. Today, proof of citizenship or residence is based on documents like Aadhaar, PAN, or passports. But in 1980, none of these existed. Authorities may have relied on simpler papers such as ration cards, residence proofs, or local records, which were more flexible and prone to errors.

The court said that there was not enough evidence to show any deliberate act of forgery or crime. It also underlined that criminal law requires strong proof before ordering a police investigation or registering an FIR.

Why the Plea Was Dismissed

The judge ultimately dismissed the complaint, stating that there were no sufficient grounds to initiate a probe. The court refused to direct the registration of an FIR against Sonia Gandhi, bringing relief to the Congress leader.

The order means that, at least in the eyes of the lower court, the matter does not merit further criminal inquiry. The detailed written order is expected to be made public soon, but the oral order already makes it clear that the case lacks legal weight.

Arguments from Both Sides

Complainant’s side:

• Sonia Gandhi’s voter enrollment in 1980 was illegal since she was not a citizen at the time.
• The deletion of her name in 1982 proved that officials realized the mistake.
• Her re-inclusion in 1983 was also questionable because the qualifying date for that voter list revision was January 1, 1983. She only became a citizen in April that year, four months later.

Court’s reasoning:

• Inclusion in voter lists decades ago cannot automatically amount to forgery unless clear evidence is shown.
• Documentation standards in 1980s were very different, and absence of modern IDs complicates the issue.
• Without proof of intentional fraud or misrepresentation, no FIR can be ordered.

Sonia Gandhi’s Background

Sonia Gandhi was born in Italy and moved to India after her marriage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. She became an Indian citizen on April 30, 1983 by registration under the Citizenship Act.

Since then, she has played a central role in Indian politics, leading the Congress Party for nearly two decades. She has also faced political attacks in the past questioning her origins and eligibility, though courts have consistently upheld her legal status as an Indian citizen.

Political Angle

While the case was presented as a legal complaint, its timing carried political undertones. Sonia Gandhi has been a constant target of political criticism, especially from her rivals, over her foreign birth.

Opponents have often questioned her loyalty and eligibility, though none of these challenges have succeeded in law. The dismissal of this plea adds to a long list of court decisions that have gone in her favor.

For the Congress Party, the court’s order brings relief at a time when it faces multiple challenges ahead of upcoming elections. Any criminal proceedings against Sonia Gandhi would have fueled controversy and weakened the party’s position further.

What Happens Next

Although the lower court dismissed the case, the complainant still has the option to appeal. He may approach a higher court to seek a review of the decision.

The written order, once made available, will reveal more details about the judge’s reasoning. That document will likely become the basis for any future legal challenge.

For now, however, Sonia Gandhi does not face any immediate threat from this complaint.

Larger Questions on Electoral Rolls

The controversy highlights a broader issue: the accuracy of electoral rolls in India. Even today, many complaints surface about wrongful inclusions and deletions. Migrants, new citizens, and people shifting residences often face errors in voter lists.

The case also reminds us how much the voter registration system has changed over the decades. In the 1980s, the process was manual and less strict. Today, technology, biometric systems, and centralized databases make the process more reliable. Yet, disputes still arise.

Conclusion

On September 11, 2025, the Delhi court dismissed a plea that sought an investigation against Sonia Gandhi for allegedly being on the voters’ list before becoming an Indian citizen. The judge held that there was no strong evidence to order a criminal probe.

For Sonia Gandhi, the dismissal is another legal relief in a long political career marked by frequent controversies. For Indian democracy, the case serves as a reminder of the importance of clear rules, accurate voter rolls, and strong documentation systems to prevent disputes of this kind in the future.