In a big victory for the Opposition, the Lok Sabha membership of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was restored on Monday. Three days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a defamation case, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a notification announcing that Gandhi’s disqualification, which was ordered on March 23 this year, stands withdrawn.
“In view of order dated 04.08.2023 of the Supreme Court of India, the disqualification of Shri Rahul Gandhi … in terms of the provisions of Article 102(1)(e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, has ceased to operate subject to further judicial pronouncements,” the notification read.
Gandhi will now again represent Wayanad in the Lower House.
Rahul Gandhi’s Disqualification As MP
Gandhi was disqualified as a Lok Sabha member after a Gujarat court convicted him in ‘Modi surname’ defamation case and handed him the maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment.
A punishment of two years and above automatically disqualifies a lawmaker.
The Gujarat High Court had refused to stay the conviction, after which Gandhi had appealed in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on Friday last stayed his conviction, paving the way for the restoration of his Lok Sabha membership.
Congress’ Reaction
Following the restoration of his membership, the Congress said it would like him to be a key speaker in the debate on no-confidence motion likely to be taken up in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the decision to reinstate Rahul Gandhi as an MP is a welcome step and asked the BJP-led government to utilise its remaining tenure in “concentrating on actual governance”.
“The decision to reinstate Rahul Gandhi as an MP is a welcome step. It brings relief to the people of India, and especially to Wayanad. Whatever time is left of their tenure, BJP and Modi Govt should utilise that by concentrating on actual governance rather than denigrating Democracy by targeting opposition leaders,” Kharge tweeted.
BJP’s Reaction
Meanwhile, the central government sought to play down the restoration of Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership, with Parliamentary affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi saying that the decision was taken as per due legal procedure.
“Speaker made the decision today. We followed the legal process and immediately after receiving the Supreme Court’s order, we restored it,” Joshi told mediapersons outside the Parliament.
Responding to questions on Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership being restored, the minister denied any delay.
Joshi said that the Supreme Court order staying the Congress leader’s conviction in a defamation case had come on August 4, which was a Friday, a weekend. However, Monday being a working day, the decision was immediately taken by the Speaker’s office.
Reaction of Other Opposition Parties
The move was also welcomed by other Opposition parties. Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav said the restoration of Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership increased his faith in the country’s democracy and justice system.
“As far as the Congress leaders and Rahul Gandhi are concerned, I would like to congratulate them on the restoration of the membership. I also congratulate the Supreme Court. After this decision, the faith in democracy and the courts has increased,” Yadav said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT), on the other hand, claimed the Supreme Court order staying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation has exposed the Union government’s “vindictive politics”.
An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said Gandhi is expected to give a tough fight to political opponents during the Lok Sabha polls due next year.
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