New Delhi: The Lok Sabha secretariat Monday took back Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lower House after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a defamation case last week.
This notification means that Gandhi, an MP from Kerala’s Wayanad, can now attend Parliament and even participate in the debate on the no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government set to take place from 8 to 10 August.
Hours after the Lok Sabha secretariat issued the notification, Rahul Gandhi was back in Parliament, entering the complex after paying tribute to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi was disqualified in March this year after a Gujarat court convicted him in a criminal defamation case for allegedly insulting the Modi surname in 2019 during a campaign speech and sentenced him to two years in jail.
After the Supreme Court order Friday, Congress party leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, had approached the Lok Sabha secretariat requesting to take back Gandhi’s disqualification. Chowdhury had said that the party would like Gandhi to speak on the no-confidence motion, and even lead the debate, if possible.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hailed the decision Monday, distributing sweets at a parliamentary meeting of the opposition alliance INDIA bloc.
“The decision to reinstate Shri Rahul Gandhi as an MP is a welcome step,” said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in a tweet, adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Modi govt should concentrate on “actual governance rather than denigrating democracy by targeting opposition leaders”.
The decision to reinstate Shri @RahulGandhi 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… pic.twitter.com/kikcZqfFvn
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 7, 2023
Opposition leaders, since Friday, had questioned the time taken by the Lok Sabha secretariat to take back the disqualification.
“26 hours after Rahul Gandhi was ‘convicted’ by the Sessions Court in Surat, the notification of his disqualification as MP was issued. 26 hours have passed since the Supreme Court stayed his wholly unjustified conviction. Why hasn’t his position as MP been restored yet? Is the Prime Minister afraid of his participation in the No Confidence Motion?” asked Congress MP Jairam Ramesh Sunday in a tweet.
Other opposition leaders, like Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, had also questioned the delay and tweeted that “any delay is unjust and in defiance of India’s highest court”.
It’s been over 48 hours since the Supreme Court stayed the unlawful conviction of Shri @RahulGandhi.
The Lok Sabha secretariat must immediately comply with the Supreme Court’s order. Any delay is unjust and in defiance of India’s highest court.Satyameva Jayate.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) August 6, 2023
Speaking to the press after his conviction was stayed on Friday, Gandhi said that the “truth with triumph”.
“If not today, then tomorrow, the truth will triumph. But my path is clear. I have clarity in my mind that what I have to do and what is my work. I thank the people who helped us. I also thank the people for their love and support”, said Gandhi, speaking at the Congress headquarters in Delhi.
This article has been updated to reflect latest developments.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: ‘Democracy won. Constitution won’ — Congress hails SC stay on Rahul’s conviction in defamation case