BJP Claims Sonia Gandhi's Name Appeared on Voter List Before Her Acquisition of Indian Citizenship
Sonia Gandhi, a prominent figure in Indian politics, found herself at the centre of a political storm recently, as her voter registration before legally acquiring Indian citizenship in 1983 has been called into question. This registration, which occurred while she still held Italian citizenship, is a clear violation of Indian electoral law that requires voter registration only for Indian citizens.
Background
Sonia Gandhi, an Italian national, married Rajiv Gandhi and moved to India in 1968. The Gandhi family lived at 1, Safdarjung Road, the official residence of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Until 1980, voters registered at that address included Indira Gandhi and her family members. In a revision of the electoral rolls with a qualifying date of January 1, 1980, Sonia Gandhi’s name was added at polling station 145 despite her lack of citizenship at the time.
However, her name was deleted in 1982 after public outcry, but then reinstated in 1983 in polling station 140 with a qualifying date of January 1, 1983, still before she obtained citizenship on April 30, 1983.
Legal Implications
Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, only Indian citizens are eligible for voter registration. Registering a non-citizen on electoral rolls constitutes electoral malpractice or violation. The BJP has accused Sonia Gandhi and the Congress of such violations, labeling the entries as “blatant electoral malpractice” because her name entered the voters list twice before her citizenship was formalized.
These accusations have been part of political disputes around electoral integrity, with BJP using this case to question Congress’s compliance with election laws, while Congress has criticized BJP for similar allegations of electoral fraud in other contexts.
Current Developments
The BJP has recently revealed Sonia Gandhi's 1980 voter registration, which listed her as an Italian citizen. The Congress party leader, Tariq Anwar, has shifted responsibility to the Election Commission, stating that Sonia never requested enrollment. Legal professionals are still deciding if Sonia's initial registration in 1980 was a clerical error or a fraudulent act.
The documents were shared by BJP IT cell Chief Amit Malviya. The Congress claims that Bihar's effort to revise its voter roll is yet another attempt by the BJP to disenfranchise marginalized minorities. The BJP's actions have reignited the debate around electoral malpractice and the Congress's support for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar.
BJP supporters have demanded "justice" and accountability, while Congress supporters have responded with "How is this old news still trending again?" as a deflection. The BJP claims this 1980 voter roll evidence suggests a case of voter fraud. The documents have reignited the debate around electoral malpractice and the Congress's support for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar.
[1] India Today [2] The Hindu [3] The Print [4] The Quint [5] NDTV
- The ongoing controversy surrounding Sonia Gandhi's voter registration before becoming an Indian citizen in 1983 has led to discussions on war-and-conflicts and politics in general news, with the BJP accusing the Congress party of policy-and-legislation violations related to electoral malpractice.
- The ongoing debate about Sonia Gandhi's voter registration in 1980 and the subsequent reinstatement in 1983, before her official Indian citizenship, has shed light on crime-and-justice issues, as legal professionals investigate whether it was a clerical error or a fraudulent act, while political parties use this case for political gain.
