BJP Claims Sonia Gandhi Was on Voter Rolls Before Obtaining Indian Citizenship
- MGMMTeam
- Aug 13
- 2 min read
New Delhi is witnessing renewed political heat after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made a striking allegation against senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. On August 13, 2025, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya stated that Sonia Gandhi’s name appeared in the 1980 electoral rolls of the New Delhi constituency, despite her reportedly acquiring Indian citizenship only in April 1983.
Malviya shared what he described as an official record from the 1980 special revision, placing Sonia Gandhi at serial number 388 in polling station 145 at a time when she was still an Italian citizen. He further claimed that her name was removed from the list in 1982 and re-added in 1983—again before her citizenship was finalized. The BJP has termed this as a serious question on the accuracy and legality of voter list entries during that period.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur also drew attention to the matter, describing it as a significant breach of procedure and underscoring the importance of a thorough investigation.
Congress Responds
The Congress party has rejected the allegations outright. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera stated that the responsibility for adding or removing names from voter rolls lies solely with the Election Commission of India (ECI), not individual citizens. He demanded the BJP produce concrete and verifiable documents to support its claim, while also downplaying the political relevance of the matter.
Congress leaders have framed the allegation as an attempt to divert attention from ongoing debates over voter list issues raised by the opposition in several states.
A Wider Debate on Electoral Integrity
The controversy comes at a time when voter roll integrity is already under intense public scrutiny. The opposition, particularly Rahul Gandhi, has been raising concerns about duplicate entries, fake names, and incorrect addresses found during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in states such as Bihar, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Rahul Gandhi has publicly mocked the ECI over what he calls “dead voters” still listed in Bihar, pointing to systemic flaws in the verification process. In response, the ECI has asked him to submit a sworn affidavit with specific names of voters he believes were wrongly removed or added.
Legal Questions
Indian law is clear that only citizens can be registered as voters. If records confirm that Sonia Gandhi was listed before gaining citizenship, it could indicate a breach of electoral rules or a lapse in administrative oversight by the election authorities of that time.
The BJP maintains that such an occurrence, if proven, would not be a minor technical error but a serious procedural violation requiring formal accountability.
Conclusion
The allegation against Sonia Gandhi has added fresh fuel to India’s political discourse on election transparency. While the BJP positions it as a matter of upholding electoral law, the Congress insists it is a baseless claim aimed at political distraction.
Amid the back-and-forth, the key question remains: how could such an entry occur, and what steps will the Election Commission take to clarify the matter? With electoral integrity at the heart of democratic trust, the resolution of this controversy will be closely watched across the nation.
(Sources: India TV News, NDTV, India Today)
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