Subhechcha Ganguly 
The Kerala High Court has issued a summons to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in response to an election petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Navya Haridas, challenging the results of the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election held in November 2024.
Justice K Babu issued the notice after hearing arguments from Advocate Hari Kumar G Nair, representing Haridas. The petition alleges electoral malpractice and claims Priyanka Gandhi failed to disclose several immovable and movable assets, including investments and properties held by her and her husband, Robert Vadra, in the affidavit submitted with her nomination.
Priyanka Gandhi secured a landslide victory in the bypoll, winning the Wayanad seat with a margin of 4,10,931 votes, defeating Sathyan Mokeri of the Communist Party of India (CPI). The by-election was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat.
The petition seeks annulment of the poll, asserting that Gandhi misled the voters by withholding key information and exerted undue influence during the election. Haridas had filed the plea in December 2024, questioning the validity of Gandhi’s nomination and the fairness of the electoral process.
The case has been scheduled for further hearing in August 2025.
Reacting to the petition earlier, Congress had dismissed it as a publicity stunt. “Some people do anything for cheap publicity. One such person is Navya Haridas,” party spokesperson Rajiv Tiwari had told ANI at the time. He emphasized that Gandhi’s massive victory margin reflected the people’s trust.
Wayanad, a Congress bastion, witnessed a three-way contest between Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi, BJP’s Navya Haridas, and CPI’s Sathyan Mokeri during the bypoll.
