Kochi (Kerala) [India]: The Kerala High Court has issued a summons to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra following an election petition filed by BJP leader Navya Haridas, who contested and lost the 2024 Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election.
Justice K Babu issued the notice after considering arguments by Advocate Hari Kumar G Nair, appearing for Haridas. The court has now listed the matter for further hearing in August 2025.
Haridas, who finished third in the triangular contest behind Gandhi and CPI’s Sathyan Mokeri, has challenged the poll result on grounds of alleged corrupt practices and non-disclosure of assets by Gandhi in her election affidavit.
According to the petition, Priyanka Gandhi allegedly concealed details of several immovable properties owned by her and her spouse Robert Vadra, along with multiple investments and movable assets, in the affidavit submitted to the Returning Officer.
Haridas also accused Gandhi of misleading the voters by withholding this information, arguing that such non-disclosure constituted a violation of election laws and sought the annulment of her election victory.
In December 2024, Haridas had approached the Kerala High Court seeking to nullify Gandhi’s win in the bypoll held on November 13, 2024, which was necessitated after former MP Rahul Gandhi vacated the Wayanad seat.
Congress had earlier dismissed the petition as “cheap publicity”, with party leader Manoj Tiwari remarking,
“Some people have the habit of doing cheap publicity. One such person is Navya Haridas. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra won the elections with a margin of 4-5 lakh votes.”
In the bypolls, Priyanka Gandhi secured a decisive victory by a margin of 4,10,931 votes, defeating CPI’s Sathyan Mokeri, while BJP’s Navya Haridas finished a distant third.
The Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency remains a Congress stronghold, and this election marked Priyanka Gandhi’s first direct foray into parliamentary politics.
The case’s next hearing is scheduled for August 2025, where both parties are expected to submit further arguments and clarifications regarding the allegations.