New Delhi, March 23 – After being convicted by a Surat court, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi may face the possibility of disqualification as an MP if his sentence is not suspended by higher courts. Can be barred from contesting elections.
According to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a person sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more will be disqualified for the term of their imprisonment plus an additional six years. However, there is an exception for current members, who have three months from the date of conviction to appeal. The disqualification shall not apply until the appeal is decided.
Gujarat’s Surat district court convicted Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case over his alleged ‘Modi surname’ remark in 2019. Gandhi was found guilty under sections 499 and 500 of the IPC, which carry a maximum sentence of two years.
Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Verma sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 15,000. However, on Gandhi’s petition, his sentence was suspended and bail was granted, giving him 30 days to appeal against his sentence.
The case against Gandhi was filed by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi in response to Gandhi’s alleged remark, “How can all thieves be surnamed Modi?”
