The Supreme Court on Monday halted criminal proceedings against election analyst Sanjay Kumar, a senior fellow at Delhi’s Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), who was booked for allegedly sharing misleading voter data ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly polls.
A Bench of CJI BR Gavai and Justice NV Anjaria granted interim relief on Kumar’s plea seeking to quash the FIRs lodged by Nagpur and Nashik Police. Kumar had posted voter data comparisons on X on August 17, which were later found to contain discrepancies. He deleted the posts the next day and, on August 19, issued a public apology, clarifying that the error stemmed from research provided by an associate.
Kumar’s counsel stressed his “impeccable integrity” and three decades of service, arguing the FIRs were excessive for what was clearly an “inadvertent mistake.” The Court issued notice and stayed proceedings, shielding Kumar while it examines the case further.
