Congress party on Monday was in a mood of celebration after the Lok Sabha secretariat restored the membership of party leader Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi’s membership as MP from Kerala’s Wayanad constituency got restored during the Monsoon Session of the Parliament on Monday.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat on Monday issued a notification announcing that his disqualification has been revoked.
Gandhi was disqualified from the lower house in March 2023 after a Gujarat court convicted him in a defamation case and sentenced him to two years in jail.
A punishment of two years and above automatically disqualifies a lawmaker.
On Friday, the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in the criminal defamation case of the use of the ‘Modi’ surname.
The Congress leader had challenged the trial court order at the Gujarat High Court, which upheld the ruling of the lower court.
However, the SC observed that no reason was given by the trial court judge while convicting him except that he was admonished by the apex court in a contempt case.
Former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi had filed a criminal defamation case in 2019 against Gandhi over his “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remark made during an election rally in Kolar, Karnataka, on April 13, 2019.
Hailing the decision by the Lok Sabha secretariat, following the apex court’s order, senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “With enormous relief, welcome the official announcement of Rahul Gandhi’s reinstatement. He can now resume his duties in the Lok Sabha to serve the people of India and his constituents in Wayanad. A victory for justice and for our democracy!”.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury put a piece of sweet inside Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s mouth. Other INDIA alliances also celebrated the restoration of Lok Sabha membership of Rahul Gandhi today.