Allahabad High Court dismisses plea challenging Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship for want of evidence
The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition challenging Rahul Gandhi's citizenship and parliamentary membership due to a lack of credible evidence. The court noted that the petitioner failed to provide documentation to support claims that Gandhi holds British nationality.
Why it matters
The ruling reinforces the legal standards required for challenging the eligibility of high-profile political figures and clarifies the government's role in citizenship disputes.
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court recently dismissed a petition challenging the citizenship and parliamentary membership of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi , after the petitioner failed to produce documentary evidence to support his allegations that he holds British nationality.
A division bench comprising Justice Shekhar B. Saraf and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary permitted petitioner-in-person Ashok Pandey to withdraw the writ petition on August 31.
The petitioner had alleged that Mr. Gandhi incorporated a UK-based company, M/s Backops Limited, in 2003, and declared himself director and major shareholder, as well as a British national.
The court observed that while the petitioner’s initial arguments appeared “very attractive” and capable of having “far-reaching consequences”, he failed to produce documentary material when asked to substantiate his claims.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in