Maharashtra election row: SC protects psephologist Sanjay Kumar in EC’s FIRs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted protection from arrest to psephologist Sanjay Kumar in connection with two FIRs lodged by the Election Commission accusing him of spreading misinformation related to Maharashtra’s electoral rolls through posts on social media.

A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice N V Anjaria took note of the submissions of senior advocate Vivek Tankha and lawyer Sumeer Sodhi that the FIRs have been lodged despite the public apology issued by the psephologist.

“Issue notice. In the meantime, there shall be no coercive action,” the CJI said.

Kumar, co-director of Lokniti at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), has approached the top court seeking the quashing of two FIRs lodged against him in Maharashtra.

The FIRs accused him of spreading misinformation related to Maharashtra’s electoral rolls through posts on social media platform X.

The petition alleges that the FIRs constitute a misuse of law and are an attempt to harass an academic for what was, at worst, a bona fide error.