‘Frivolous and politically motivated’: Sonia Gandhi opposes plea over 1980 voter list entry | India News

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has opposed a criminal revision petition filed against her in the Rouse Avenue Court, calling it “wholly misconceived, frivolous, politically motivated and an abuse of the process of law.” She argued that matters of citizenship and electoral rolls cannot be turned into criminal proceedings four decades later.The reply, filed through her counsel before the court of special judge (CBI) Vishal Gogne, contests allegations that she was included in the electoral rolls before acquiring Indian citizenship.She urged that the plea be dismissed as baseless and speculative.According to her response, the complainant’s accusations rest on assumptions, media reports and personal presumptions and not on authentic government records.The reply further emphasises that no specific document has been identified as forged or fabricated, rendering the charges void of material substance. Matters of citizenship, it maintains, fall solely under the jurisdiction of the Central Government, while the Election Commission of India is responsible for maintaining electoral rolls.Arguing that criminal courts cannot assume jurisdiction in such matters, the reply states that entertaining the petition would amount to interference in the electoral process.It further denies that Gandhi’s name was ever re‑entered in the voter list based on any forged or improper application, saying the complainant has failed to produce any authentic document or effort to lawfully obtain one.Sonia Gandhi’s reply also dismisses as “baseless” the assertions that fabricated identity documents were used or that Gandhi had voted in the 1980 general election. It also objects to the complainant’s reliance on decades‑old media reports, noting such sources carry no legal weight and cannot serve as a foundation for criminal proceedings.The response underscores that the complaint seeks to revive a matter from 1980–83—over four decades later—without foundational proof, making it both stale and legally untenable.Procedural objections have also been raised, alleging non‑compliance with mandatory requirements under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS), including the absence of a valid affidavit, which, Gandhi’s counsel argues, deprives the court of jurisdiction.The revision petition, filed by advocate Vikas Tripathi, challenges a September 2025 order of the Magistrate Court that had dismissed his earlier complaint at the threshold. The Magistrate had held that questions of citizenship and electoral registration fall within the purview of the Central Government and Election Commission, and cannot be adjudicated through a criminal complaint.