DELHI – A court in Indian state of Gujarat on Thursday turned down a pleafiled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking a stay on his conviction in adefamation case, triggering uncertainty over his participation in generalelections due next year.
Last month, the 52-year-old leader was sentenced to two years in prison forallegedly passing offensive remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’ssurname at an rally.
A day after the conviction, the Indian parliament disqualified RahulGandhi. A notice issued by the parliament on March 24 read, “Rahul Gandhi…stands disqualified from the member of Lok Sabha from the date of hisconviction.”
A Congress leader, Naishadh Desai, told media that the Surat district courthas rejected a stay on Rahul Gandhi’s conviction.
“We are going to challenge the decision in Gujarat High Court tomorrow. Wehave full faith that the judiciary will uphold justice and save thedemocracy,” Indian media quoted him as saying.
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The ruling is being termed a setback for Gandhi, whose jail sentence willremain suspended until he approaches all relevant forums against theconviction.
As per The Representation of the People Act, 1951, any politician found“convicted of any offense and sentenced to imprisonment for not less thantwo years” shall stand disqualified. It also bars a convicted lawmaker fromcontending in elections for six years after completion of jail sentence.
The conviction may also block Rahul Gandhi from contesting in generalelections due in 2024. He would only be able to do so until a courtnullifies his conviction before the polls
