The Kerala High Court has reportedly issued a notice to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a Member of Parliament from Wayanad, in response to a petition challenging her victory in the recent Lok Sabha by-election. The petition was filed by Navya Haridas, the BJP candidate who contested against Priyanka Gandhi in Wayanad.

Haridas's petition alleges that Priyanka Gandhi provided false information in her nomination papers submitted to the Election Commission. Specifically, the BJP leader claims that Gandhi concealed details regarding the assets owned by her and her family, including those of her husband, Robert Vadra, potentially held in foreign countries. This, according to the petition, constitutes a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and amounts to corrupt practices, potentially misleading voters and unduly influencing their choice. The plea seeks to annul Priyanka Gandhi's election victory based on these allegations.

Priyanka Gandhi secured her maiden electoral victory in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypolls with a significant margin, garnering 622,338 votes. Navya Haridas, her rival, came in third with 109,939 votes. The by-election was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka's brother, vacated the seat, choosing to represent Raebareli.

Navya Haridas's legal counsel, Advocate Hari Kumar G Nair, stated that the petition aims to set aside Priyanka Gandhi's election for allegedly suppressing vital information about her and her family's assets, thus misleading voters.

The BJP claims that Priyanka's assets may be higher than those disclosed. Priyanka Gandhi had earlier declared her assets as worth Rs 11.98 crore, while Robert Vadra's assets were stated to be Rs 65.55 crore.

The Congress party has dismissed the petition as a "cheap publicity" stunt by Navya Haridas. Congress leaders have expressed confidence that the court will reject the petition and potentially impose a penalty on the petitioner. They argue that Priyanka Gandhi won the election by a substantial margin and that the BJP is resorting to such tactics out of desperation. Some leaders have stated that the BJP has the right to file a petition, but they are confident that the truth is on their side.

The Kerala High Court is scheduled to hear the petition sometime after its recess.