Before Rahul Gandhi, there were Faizal, Azam, Lalu…

In the recent past, similar convictions have triggered disqualifications. A look at what followed court decisions in these cases.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Delhi airport on Thursday.

A Surat court’s conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case paves way for his “immediate disqualification” from the Lok Sabha until a higher court stays his conviction. In the recent past, similar convictions have triggered disqualifications. A look at what followed court decisions in these cases:

Read | Unsustainable judgment, will challenge in higher court, says Congress

Mohammad Faizal, MP, Lakshadweep

On January 13, two days after he was convicted by a sessions court in Lakshadweep in an attempt-to-murder case, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a notification disqualifying Lakshadweep MP Mohammad Faizal. However, on January 25, the Kerala High Court suspended the conviction. The Election Commission decided to withhold the by-election to the Lok Sabha seat that was supposed to be held on February 27.

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Azam Khan, MLA, Rampur

On October 27, 2022, a Rampur MP-MLA court of additional chief judicial magistrate Nishant Maan convicted Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in a 2019 hate-speech case and sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment. A day later, the UP Assembly Secretariat announced Khan’s disqualification from the House.

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Explained | Gujarat court finds Rahul Gandhi guilty: What is the 2019 defamation case against him?

Lalu Prasad, MP, Saran

After a Special CBI court in Ranchi convicted him in a multi-crore fodder scam on October 3, 2013, RJD chief Lalu Prasad was disqualified from his Lok Sabha membership via a parliamentary notification dated October 2.

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Vikram Saini, MLA, Khatauli

Nearly a month after a special MP-MLA court in Muzaffarnagar sentenced BJP MLA Vikram Saini to two years imprisonment for his role in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, the UP Assembly issued a notification dated November 7, 2022, to declare his Khatauli Assembly seat as vacant.

‘Grave insult to wounded people’: Cong lashes out at PM Modi amid his first Manipur visit

India14 hr ago

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Manipur for the first time since ethnic violence hit the state in May 2023, the Congress on Saturday called it a “farce, tokenism, and a grave insult to a wounded people”.

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