HC defers hearing in Rahul Gandhi citizenship case

Lucknow: A Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Wednesday deferred the hearing on a plea questioning the citizenship of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

Passing the order, Justice Manish Mathur said the petitioner has filed an application seeking recall of the April 20, 2026, order and, therefore the main petition should be listed only after disposal of the said application. The order was passed on a petition filed by Karnataka BJP worker S Vignesh.

The petition came up for hearing before Justice Manish Mathur after Justice Subhash Vidyarthi had recused.

Justice Vidyarthi had on April 17 orally dictated in open court an order directing registration of an FIR and investigation against Rahul Gandhi in connection with the dual citizenship allegations. However, before signing the order in chambers, the judge realised that no adverse order against the accused could be passed without first issuing notice and granting him an opportunity of hearing.

Consequently, the order was not signed and the matter was posted for hearing on April 20. During the April 20 hearing, Justice Vidyarthi had expressed strong displeasure over comments made by petitioner Vignesh on social media regarding the court proceedings.

The judge had also made sharp observations against the counsel in the case, saying they had failed to properly assist the court on the correct legal position, and had also recused himself from the case.

The chief justice had then assigned the case to Justice Manish Mathur.

The petitioner has now moved an application seeking recall of the observations made by Justice Vidyarthi on April 20. At the previous hearing, Justice Mathur had observed that such a recall application should ordinarily be placed before the same judge who had passed the order.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Bakrid wishes, messages and eid 2026