Sanjay Kumar, an election analyst with the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), was the subject of criminal proceedings after he shared misleading information about voter data in Maharashtra on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The posts, made on August 17, 2025, reportedly compared voter data from the 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra legislative assembly elections, suggesting discrepancies.
The Mistake and Apology Kumar’s plea to the Supreme Court stated that the erroneous information was the result of a “technical mistake” and a misreading of data provided by an associate. He immediately deleted the posts on August 18, 2025, and on August 19, he posted a public apology, explaining that there were errors in his calculations and that he had no intention of spreading misinformation.
Legal Action Despite his public apology and the removal of the posts, two First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against him by the Nagpur Police and the Nasik Police. The FIRs were lodged on the complaints of officers reporting to the Election Commission of India.
Supreme Court Intervention Sanjay Kumar filed a plea with the Supreme Court to have the FIRs quashed. His counsel argued before a bench of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice N.V. Anjaria that Kumar is a person of “impeccable integrity” with 30 years of service, and the posts were a bona fide mistake. The Supreme Court granted him interim relief, issuing a notice and staying the criminal proceedings against him. He has also sought the quashing of any other similar FIR that may be filed.
