New Delhi, February 8, 2026 — Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has strongly opposed a criminal revision petition in a Delhi court, describing it as "politically motivated" and an attempt to misuse the legal process. The plea challenges her inclusion in the electoral rolls decades ago, alleging irregularities related to her acquisition of Indian citizenship.
In a reply filed through her counsel before the Rouse Avenue Court's Special Judge (CBI) Vishal Gogne on Saturday, Sonia Gandhi termed the petition "wholly misconceived, frivolous, politically motivated, and an abuse of the process of law." She argued that the allegations lack any concrete documentary evidence and rely instead on speculative assumptions, media reports, and unsubstantiated claims.
The controversy stems from claims that Sonia Gandhi's name appeared in the voter list for the New Delhi constituency in January 1980—three years before she acquired Indian citizenship on April 30, 1983. The petitioner, Vikas Tripathi, has sought the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against her, alleging fraudulent inclusion through forged documents. The name was reportedly deleted in 1982 and re-entered in 1983 after citizenship was granted.
Sonia Gandhi's response emphasized that a lower court (Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia) had previously dismissed a related complaint on September 11, 2025, calling the allegations "bald assertions" without legal substance. She urged the sessions court to uphold that order and dismiss the revision plea.
Highlighting jurisdictional boundaries, her reply stated that matters of citizenship fall exclusively under the domain of the Central Government, while the preparation and maintenance of electoral rolls are the sole responsibility of the Election Commission of India. Criminal courts, she contended, cannot entertain private complaints under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to adjudicate such issues, as this would violate the separation of powers and interfere with the electoral process under Article 329 of the Constitution.
"No specific document has been identified as forged or fabricated, rendering the charges void of material substance," the reply noted, adding that entertaining the petition would amount to an unwarranted interference in established administrative procedures.
The court took note of Sonia Gandhi's reply and listed the matter for further arguments on February 21, 2026.
This development revives a long-standing allegation that has periodically surfaced in political discourse, often tied to questions about Sonia Gandhi's Italian origins and her entry into Indian public life after marrying Rajiv Gandhi. The Congress leader has consistently maintained that all procedures were followed lawfully at the time.
The case underscores ongoing tensions in India's political landscape, where legal challenges frequently intersect with electoral and citizenship debates.
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