Sonia enrolled in poll roll before she got citizenship, petitioner alleges in Delhi court

A Delhi court on Thursday heard a criminal complaint seeking registration of an FIR against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over allegations that her name was included in the electoral roll before she became an Indian citizen.The complaint, filed by one Vikas Tripathi, came up before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia at Rouse Avenue Courts. After briefly hearing the matter, the magistrate posted it for further hearing on September 10.

Tripathi has alleged that Gandhi’s name appeared in the voters’ list of the New Delhi constituency in 1980, even though she was granted Indian citizenship in April 1983.

According to the plea, her name was subsequently deleted in 1982 and again re-entered in 1983. The counsel for petitioner, Pavan Narang, argued that there was no record explaining why Gandhi’s name was deleted from the voters’ list.

“Such deletion can happen only in two cases -- either a person acquires foreign citizenship or submits Form 8 for correction of particulars. In both situations, the individual must already be an Indian citizen,” he submitted.

“Her application for Indian citizenship is also of April 1983. How her name got included in the electoral roll in the New Delhi constituency in 1980, which was then deleted in 1982 and re-entered in 1983,” questioned Tripathi’s lawyer.

He questioned what documents were placed before the Election Commission when Gandhi’s name was first entered in the poll roll in 1980, and alleged that “some forgery” had taken place, amounting to cheating of a public authority.

Seeking action, Narang urged the court to direct the police to register an FIR under the relevant provisions of law, clarifying whether offences are made out or not would be for the police to determine.

The court has not issued any notice to Gandhi or the Delhi Police so far.