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Rahul Gandhi disqualified as an MP following two years conviction in 'Modi Surname' defamation case

SimpliCity News Team File Photo · 24 Mar 2023

Chennai: In what is seen as a major setback for the Congress party, its former president and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified from the Lok Sabha because of his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat also declared his constituency vacant. The Election Commission of India can now announce a special election for the vacant seat.

In the meanwhile, the disqualification of MP Rahul Gandhi from the post of MP has sent shock waves across the Congress party.

During an election rally in Karnataka before 2019 national polls Rahul Gandhi remarked “why all thieves have 'Modi as their surname', which was not taken lightly by the ruling BJP.

Subsequently, a defamation case was filed against Rahul Gandhi in a Surat court for his controversial remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The court, which heard the case, yesterday, convicted Rahul Gandhi and sentenced him to two years imprisonment. Congress workers across the country have been protesting against this verdict by a district court.

BJP MLA Purnesh Modi had filed a petition in the Surat court seeking defamatory action against Rahul Gandhi for his controversial remarks belittling the OBC community Modi.

While the trial in the defamation case had been going on for the last four years, in October 2021, Rahul Gandhi had appeared in person and deposed in the case.

The arguments on both sides concluded last week. Justice H H Verma had said that Rahul Gandhi should be present in the court at the time of pronouncing the verdict.

Accordingly, Rahul Gandhi arrived at the court under tight security. Justice H H Verma, who heard the arguments of both the parties in the case, held Rahul Gandhi guilty.

The Surat court also observed that Rahul Gandhi can appeal against the verdict within 30 days and the leader was let out on bail.

Rahul Gandhi was disqualified by the Loksabha Secretariat on the provisions of Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and he is no longer an MP.

Rahul Gandhi was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019 from Wayanad constituency in Kerala.

courts verdict Rahul Gandhi disqualified MP post congress bjp modi protest

Rahul Gandhi disqualified as an MP following two years conviction in 'Modi Surname' defamation case

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