Plea filed in Delhi court seeking FIR against Sonia Gandhi over voter roll inclusion

A plea has been filed before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court challenging a Magistrate court order refusing directions to register a first information report (FIR) against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for her name allegedly featuring in the electoral roll three years before she became an Indian citizen.

The case came before Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne on Friday. The judge ordered it to be listed on December 9 for consideration.

The criminal revision plea has been filed by one Vikas Tripathi challenging the September 11 order of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACMM) Vaibhav Chaurasiya. 

It is Tripathi’s case that Gandhi's name was included in the electoral roll of the New Delhi constituency in 1980 even though she became a citizen of India only in April 1983. 

He said that Gandhi's name was included in the electoral roll in 1980, deleted in 1982 and then included again in 1983. 

The inclusion of her name in the electoral roll in 1980 means some forged documents were submitted, and there is a case showing that a cognisable offence has been committed, it was stated by his lawyers. 

Judge Chaurasia had rejected the petition, stating that the Court cannot embark upon such an inquiry as it would result in unwarranted transgression into fields expressly entrusted to the constitutional authorities and would be a violation of Article 329 of the Constitution of India.