Delhi court orders probe into Sonia Gandhi's voter registration, BJP demands answers

A Delhi court has instructed a magistrate to investigate a grievance that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was entered onto the voters’ list before she became an Indian citizen, according to The Hindu. The order follows a petition that alleges a breach of the Representation of the People Act, which permits only Indian citizens aged 18 or above to be registered as voters.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seized on the court’s directive, publicly questioning the Congress’s handling of the matter. Party leaders suggested that the episode reflects a broader pattern of alleged irregularities within the opposition’s ranks and demanded a transparent inquiry. No official response from the Congress has been recorded at the time of reporting.

Under Indian law, a person must hold citizenship and meet residency requirements before being added to the electoral roll. Sonia Gandhi, originally from Italy, obtained Indian citizenship in 1985 after marrying former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Her name appears on the electoral roll for the Rae Bareli constituency, a seat she has held in the Lok Sabha for multiple terms. The current complaint contends that the registration was processed prematurely, potentially violating legal norms.

The controversy surfaces amid heightened partisan tensions ahead of upcoming state elections. The BJP has previously highlighted issues of citizenship and voter eligibility, framing them as matters of national integrity. Conversely, the Congress has defended Gandhi’s eligibility, noting that her citizenship was formally granted decades ago and that her electoral participation has been repeatedly validated by the Election Commission.

Legal experts note that the magistrate’s review will focus on documentary evidence, such as the date of citizenship acquisition and the timing of the roll entry. Should the investigation find procedural lapses, it could trigger a correction of the roll or even a legal challenge to Gandhi’s candidature. Historically, similar disputes have led to court‑ordered revisions but rarely resulted in disqualification of sitting members.

The episode underscores the political utility of electoral roll challenges in India’s competitive landscape, where parties often leverage procedural queries to question opponents’ legitimacy. As the case proceeds, both the BJP and Congress are likely to use the outcome to bolster their narratives ahead of the electoral calendar.