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:

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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.

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