A Delhi court has reserved its order on a criminal complaint that questions whether Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was included in the electoral roll of New Delhi before she formally became an Indian citizen. The petition seeks the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against her, alleging forgery and misrepresentation.

The complaint, filed by petitioner Vikas Tripathi, claims that Sonia Gandhi’s name was added to the voter list in 1980, even though she officially acquired Indian citizenship only in April 1983. According to the plea, her name was later removed from the records in 1982 but reinstated soon after she received citizenship in 1983. The petitioner argues that this sequence raises serious concerns about procedural violations and possible manipulation of official records.

During the hearing at Rouse Avenue Court, Senior Advocate Pavan Narang, representing the complainant, highlighted that under Indian law, citizenship is a mandatory requirement for voter enrollment. He alleged that Sonia Gandhi’s inclusion prior to 1983 was unlawful and suggested that the deletion of her name in 1982 reflected an acknowledgment of the irregularity. The petition further contends that the documents used to justify her enrollment in 1980 should be scrutinized for authenticity.

The complainant has urged the court to direct the police to register an FIR against Sonia Gandhi, citing potential offences such as forgery, cheating, and causing wrongful loss to the integrity of the electoral process. According to the plea, such alleged discrepancies not only undermine the sanctity of India’s electoral system but also set a dangerous precedent for future cases.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia, after hearing the arguments, reserved the order. The court is expected to announce its decision on whether the case warrants further investigation and criminal proceedings. Sonia Gandhi was not represented by any counsel during the hearing.

The case has stirred political debate as it concerns the early years of Sonia Gandhi’s public life in India. While the court’s order is pending, the matter has once again spotlighted the intersection of citizenship laws, electoral integrity, and political accountability in the country.