Allahabad High Court Declines to Examine Government Records in Rahul Gandhi Citizenship Controversy
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has expressed clear reluctance to examine records produced by the central government in connection with the alleged dual citizenship controversy involving senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi. The matter was heard in the chamber on Monday after the Centre submitted that the issue was highly sensitive, with the next hearing scheduled for April 15.
Court Order Clarifies Position on Allegations
In its detailed order uploaded to the court's official website on Tuesday, the bench presided over by Justice Subhash Vidyarthi made a significant clarification. "This court does not propose to go into the correctness of allegations levelled against Gandhi in the present matter; the court has not examined the said records," the order explicitly stated. This declaration came despite the court having previously summoned these very records from the Union Home Ministry during earlier proceedings.
Background of the Legal Petition
The court's order was issued in response to a petition filed by BJP worker S Vignesh Shishir, who hails from Karnataka. The petitioner challenged a January 28 order from a special MP/MLA court in Lucknow that had rejected his plea seeking registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Rahul Gandhi. The lower court had determined it was not competent to decide issues relating to citizenship matters.
In his comprehensive petition, Shishir has sought not only the registration of an FIR but also a detailed investigation, levelling serious allegations under multiple legal provisions. These include sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Official Secrets Act, the Foreigners Act, and the Passport Act.
Procedural History and Case Transfer
The complaint was originally filed before a special MP/MLA court in Rae Bareli. However, on December 17, 2025, the Allahabad High Court transferred the case to Lucknow for further proceedings. During earlier hearings, the bench had specifically asked the central government about action taken regarding a complaint alleging Gandhi's British citizenship, which prompted the summons for records from the Home Ministry.
Although the central government duly produced the requested records, the court made a deliberate decision on Monday not to examine their contents. This development marks a significant procedural moment in the ongoing legal examination of citizenship allegations against the prominent opposition leader.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
The court's position raises important questions about the jurisdictional boundaries in citizenship matters and the appropriate forum for such allegations against elected representatives. With the next hearing scheduled for mid-April, legal observers will be closely monitoring whether the court maintains its current stance or revisits the examination of government records as the proceedings advance.
