Supreme Court Shields Psephologist Sanjay Kumar from Arrest Over FIRs

The Supreme Court has granted protection from arrest to psephologist Sanjay Kumar against two FIRs filed by the Election Commission. Accused of spreading misinformation about Maharashtra’s electoral rolls, Kumar has approached the court for quashing the FIRs, alleging misuse of law and harassment over an alleged bona fide error.

The Supreme Court intervened on Monday to protect psephologist Sanjay Kumar from arrest in relation to two FIRs filed against him by the Election Commission. These FIRs allege Kumar disseminated misinformation about Maharashtra’s electoral rolls via social media.

A bench led by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice N V Anjaria considered the plea by senior advocate Vivek Tankha and lawyer Sumeer Sodhi, emphasizing that the FIRs were filed despite Kumar's public apology. The court issued a notice and ordered no coercive action.

Kumar, a co-director at Lokniti at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, challenges the FIRs and claims they are an abuse of the legal system, aiming to punish him for a potential error.