A special court in Delhi has set aside an earlier order of a magistrate court that declined to direct registration of an FIR in a complaint involving Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The complaint alleges her name was included in the electoral rolls in 1980, before she obtained Indian citizenship.
The petition was filed by social activist and lawyer Vikas Tripathi before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Delhi. He claimed Sonia Gandhi received Indian citizenship only in April 1983, but her name appeared in the voter list in 1980 using the Safdarjung Road address, was removed in 1982, and was added again in 1983. He alleged the inclusion could have happened through forged documents and sought an FIR and investigation.
The magistrate court had dismissed the plea on September 11, 2025, citing lack of sufficient material. Tripathi challenged this through a revision petition before the MP-MLA special court at Rouse Avenue.
In its order on Monday, Special Judge Vishal Gogne said the magistrate’s dismissal without adequate reasons could not be sustained and pointed to legal and procedural lapses. The court noted the magistrate did not properly consider whether to order an FIR or a preliminary inquiry, nor seek a status report from the concerned police officer.
Emphasising that only citizens can be enrolled as voters and that the sanctity of electoral rolls underpins public trust in democracy, the special court sent the matter back to the magistrate for fresh consideration. The magistrate has been directed to obtain a police status report, hear both sides, and pass a detailed, reasoned order. The case has been posted to September 29.
