Sonia Gandhi stands accused of having her name included in the voter list three years prior to obtaining Indian citizenship.
Published: April 18, 2026 3:42 PM IST
New Delhi: A hearing was held on Saturday, 18 April 2026, at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court regarding a criminal revision petition filed against Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP and former chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, concerning the inclusion of her name in the voter list. The court has directed Sonia Gandhi’s counsel to submit a response within one week. Meanwhile, all arguments on behalf of the petitioner have already been presented. The petitioner has also sought the court’s permission to submit a report from the Election Commission as evidence.
What Are the Petitioner’s Allegations?
Conversely, Sonia Gandhi’s counsel stated that they wish to submit certain evidence in favour of their client. The court is now scheduled to hear this matter on May 16. The petitioner claims that Sonia Gandhi had improperly managed to have her name added to the voter list even before she acquired Indian citizenship.
Prior to this, a partial hearing on the matter took place on March 30, after which the proceedings were adjourned. The court had previously directed that the defense counsel would present their arguments on April 18. This petition has been filed by advocate Vikas Tripathi, who demands that a case be registered against Sonia Gandhi in this matter.
Understanding the Full Case
Essentially, former UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi stands accused of having her name included in the voter list three years prior to obtaining Indian citizenship. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia heard this matter on September 4, 2025. Vikas Tripathi claims that Sonia Gandhi’s name was included in the voter list as early as 1980, whereas she was granted citizenship in 1983.
He further claims that after her name was initially added to the 1980 voter list, it was subsequently removed in 1982 and then re-added in 1983. Consequently, the pertinent question arises: how did her name come to be included in Delhi’s voter list in 1980? The petitioner alleges that, at the time, her name was prematurely added to the voter list through fraudulent means and by leveraging political influence.
