Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership was restored on Monday after a defamation case disqualification.
NEW DELHI — Lok Sabha membership of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Monday restored by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, three days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a defamation case.
In an order issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat on Monday, it was informed that in view of the Supreme Court order dated August 4, Gandhi’s disqualification, which was ordered on March 24 this year, stands withdrawn.
The Supreme Court on August 4 had stayed Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case against him.
A Surat court had earlier found him guilty and handed him the maximum sentence of two years imprisonment — leading to his disqualification from the Lok Sabha.
The Gujarat High Court had refused to stay the conviction, after which Gandhi appealed in the Supreme Court.
Read more: Supreme Court stays Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in defamation case over Modi surname remark
#LokSabha membership of #Congress leader #RahulGandhi was restored by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, three days after the #SupremeCourt stayed his conviction in a defamation case.
— IANS (@ians_india) August 7, 2023
In an order issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat on Monday, it was informed that in view of the Supreme… pic.twitter.com/vuFWFWq3XV
Rahul changes his X bio from ‘Dis’Qualified MP’ to ‘Member of Parliament’
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday removed the mention of ‘Dis’Qualified MP’ from his official X handle (formerly Twitter) with ‘Member of Parliament’ words after his membership was restored Monday.
Earlier in the day, in an order issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, it was informed that in view of the Supreme Court order dated August 4, Gandhi’s disqualification, which was ordered on March 24 this year, stands withdrawn.
Meanwhile, party MPs welcomed him in Parliament with slogans and also distributed sweets to fellow MPs to celebrate his comeback in Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi removed the word disqualified from his official bio and mentioned ‘Member of Parliament’.
Following his membership being restored by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, three days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction on Friday, Rahul Gandhi on Monday arrived in the Lok Sabha amid sloganeering by the party MPs.
He first went to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament and offered his prayers and then entered the Parliament building to participate in the Lok Sabha proceedings.
He had removed ‘MP’ from his bio after he was disqualified following his conviction in the ‘Modi surname’ remarks case by a Surat court on March 23. The Lok Sabha Secretariat disqualified him as MP on March 24. The Congress leader had also vacated his official bungalow on April 22 after he lost his membership.
The Supreme Court stayed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi on Friday in a defamation case, which cost him his LS membership. The SC stayed the conviction saying that no reasons were given by the trial judge for imposing the maximum punishment of two years in the case.
Also read: Will protect the idea of India, come what may, says Rahul Gandhi after SC relief
The Supreme Court stayed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi on Friday in a defamation case, which cost him his LS membership. The SC stayed the conviction saying that no reasons were given by the trial judge for imposing the maximum punishment of two years in the case.
