A Delhi court has taken a significant step in a decades-old controversy involving Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. On Tuesday, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts agreed to review a criminal revision petition seeking an FIR into allegations that Gandhi’s name appeared on the electoral roll in 1980, three years before she received Indian citizenship in 1983. This development marks a renewed legal scrutiny of historical electoral records and their authenticity.

The court issued notices to both Sonia Gandhi and the Delhi Police, responding to arguments presented by Senior Advocate Pavan Narang, who alleged that the documents enabling Gandhi’s name to be added to the voters’ list “must have been forged, fabricated and falsified.” The court has now scheduled the matter for the next hearing on January 6, 2026, signaling its willingness to reassess the earlier decision that refused an investigation.

The revision plea was filed by Vikas Tripathi, challenging a September 11 order by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia, who had dismissed his complaint seeking police action. Tripathi argued that Gandhi’s inclusion in the 1980 electoral roll, later deletion in 1982, and re-inclusion in 1983 after obtaining citizenship raised serious questions about possible manipulation of documents. He asserted that such an inclusion would have been impossible without forged paperwork, which constitutes a cognisable offence.

Also Read: Sonia Gandhi Urges Centre to Declare Delhi Air Pollution a Public Health Emergency

Magistrate Chaurasia, while rejecting the initial plea, had reasoned that directing an FIR would push the judiciary into areas reserved for constitutional authorities, especially concerning electoral rolls. He cited Article 329 of the Constitution, which restricts courts from interfering in electoral matters except through specific election petitions. The judge warned that such judicial intervention could amount to overstepping constitutional boundaries.

Tripathi, however, insists that the matter warrants police investigation, arguing that the alleged wrongful inclusion of a non-citizen in the voters’ list amounted to electoral fraud at its inception. The issue has periodically resurfaced in political circles, with BJP leaders accusing the Congress of past irregularities and pointing to Gandhi’s case as an example. The Congress, for its part, has consistently dismissed such allegations, calling them politically motivated attempts to tarnish its leadership.

With the court now seeking formal responses from Gandhi and election officials, the case is set to reignite political debate. As the matter inches forward, it could potentially lead to a re-examination of historical electoral procedures and broader questions about accountability in India’s voter registration system.

Also Read: Sonia Gandhi Warns Modi Govt Signed ‘Death Warrant’ for Aravallis