The Supreme Court is going to hear Rahul Gandhi’s plea on Friday. He is challenging the Gujarat High Court’s decision to not suspend his conviction in a defamation case. This case is related to his comment about the “Modi surname” during an election rally in Karnataka. The comment resulted in the loss of his Lok Sabha membership.
During the previous hearing, Justices BR Gavai and PK Mishra asked for responses from Purnesh Modi, a former Gujarat minister, and the state government regarding Rahul Gandhi’s appeal. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on August 4.
Rahul Gandhi’s comment led to a criminal defamation case filed by Purnesh Modi. In the previous hearing, Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer mentioned that he has already suffered and lost one Parliament session due to his conviction. There is also urgency in the matter because there might be a by-election for the Wayanad constituency, from where Rahul Gandhi was elected and later disqualified from Lok Sabha.
Justice Gavai clarified that although his late father was not a member of the Congress party, he had a close association with it for many years. He also invited both lawyers to express any concerns they might have about his background, but they had no objections.
The Supreme Court asked Purnesh Modi’s lawyer and the counsel for the Gujarat government to submit their replies and written submissions.
In March, a Gujarat court convicted Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the Modi surname, leading to his disqualification as an MP. His appeal for a stay on his conviction was rejected by the sessions court in April, prompting him to approach the high court. The high court upheld the earlier order in July, maintaining his disqualification.
Currently, Rahul Gandhi cannot be arrested as his jail term remains suspended. However, only a stay on his conviction by the Supreme Court or a favorable judgment in his appeal by a sessions court would allow him to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The conviction and jail term make Rahul Gandhi ineligible to serve in Parliament for eight years. However, this can be reversed if the conviction is overturned or suspended by a higher court.
