New Delhi: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has lost his Lok Sabha membership. The verdict comes after a Surat court sentenced him to two years in jail for his remarks in the ‘Modi surname’ case.
This decision has been taken under Article 102(1)(e). Rahul Gandhi has lost membership since March 23, the day the Surat court pronounced its verdict. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a defamation case.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a defamation case. However, the court also granted him bail immediately. He was also granted a 30-day extension to appeal in a higher court and suspended his sentence.
In fact, according to Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the moment a Member of Parliament is convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for at least two years, he becomes ineligible to remain a Member of Parliament.
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s two-year jail term, former Congress leader and senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Thursday said Rahul Gandhi automatically becomes disqualified as an MP with a jail term of two years, though the punishment itself is “bizarre”. “According to the law, he is ineligible, but the decision has to be communicated to the Speaker… But today he is unfit…”