SC stays FIRs against psephologist Sanjay Kumar for ‘erroneous’ info on electoral rolls
During the hearing, Kumar’s counsel told SC that the psephologist has conscientiously served the nation for 30 years and has already apologised for the mistake
The Supreme Court on Monday (August 25) put a stay on proceedings in the two FIRs filed against psephologist Sanjay Kumar on charges of disseminating misinformation related to the electoral rolls in Maharashtra.
An interim order in this regard was passed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai and Justice NV Anjaria while issuing notice on the writ petition filed by Kumar seeking the scrapping of the FIRs.
Also read: CSDS’s Sanjay Kumar retracts voter data claims, BJP demands apology from Rahul
Kumar apologised for mistake: Counsel
“This person has impeccable integrity. Thirty years of conscientious service to the nation and to the world. He is highly respected. It was a mistake. He apologised,” Kumar’s counsel said during the hearing, according to LiveLaw.
To this CJI Gavai said, “You withdrew also.”
“I deleted, I apologised publicly, after that, an FIR!” Kumar’s counsel said.
While the court granted a stay on the FIRs, CJI Gavai added, “Normally we would not have entertained this.”
What is the case?
On August 20, two FIRs were filed against Kumar, also the co-director of Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, for a post on X in which he claimed a significant dip in voter numbers in two Assembly seats in Maharashtra compared to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which were held six months apart.
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Kumar, however, had deleted the post on August 19 and had apologised for posting “erroneous data” in another post.
The cases were registered in Nagpur district and Nashik.
In Nagpur, an FIR was registered against Kumar on a complaint lodged by the tehsildar of Ramtek in connection with his claims on the difference in the number of voters for the Hingna Assembly constituency. He was booked under sections 175 (False statement in connection with an election), 353 (1) B (Statements conducting to public mischief), 212 (providing false information to a public servant), and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
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Another case was registered at Sarkarwada police station in Nashik city on a complaint lodged by the Nayab-Tahasildar of Deolali assembly constituency in Nashik district.
The official said that Kumar, in a post dated August 11, 2025, mentioned that the number of voters in the Deolali constituency during (2024) Lok Sabha election was 4,56,072, whereas the actual number was 2,76,902.