Sonia Gandhi gets court notice over alleged 1980-81 electoral roll entry
Delhi Rose Avenue Court on Tuesday issued a notice to Sonia Gandhi on December 8, over the magistrates’ dismissal of a petition challenging Sonia Gandhi’s wrongful inclusion in the 1980-81 electoral roll.
The court headed by Sessions Judge Vishal Gogne has listed the matter for hearing on January 6, after hearing the submission by the Senior Advocate Pavan Narang for the revisionist Vikas Tripathi, and sought the record of the hearing of the trial court.
What are the allegations against Sonia Gandhi?
The allegations are that Sonia Gandhi was allegedly included in the 1980-81 list for the Delhi constituency with serious irregularities, even before she became a citizen of India in 1983. The petition, which was dismissed in September 2025, seeks to investigate into the matter. The revisionist argues that her name was deleted in 1982 and re-entered in 1983, suggesting that the 1980 entry was wrongful. The complainant alleges ‘forgery’, and the authority was ‘cheated’. The trial court dismissed the notification because it lacked a legal foundation and relied solely on uncertified photocopies of electoral records, further stating that the issues of the electoral roll belong to the Central Government and the Election Commission of India. The notice relies on the Section 175(4) of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, which empowers the magistrate to conduct an investigation.
Delhi court’s notice on Sonia Gandhi’s birthday
The notice comes on the 79th birthday of Sonia Gandhi. The court has called for records, which means the notice has cleared the initial level of hurdles and is willing to examine the initial judgment’s validity. The case holds high political weight ahead of the 2026 Bengal Legislative Assembly election. The outcome could also influence how such future cases about the electoral roll entry are dealt with, especially amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision that began on November 4.
