Rahul Gandhi disqualified from Lok Sabha as a member

New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was on Friday disqualified from Lok Sabha as a member, a day after a court sentenced him two years in jail in a defamation case.

The Congress parliamentarian from Wayanad was convicted in a defamation case by a court in Gujarat's Surat on Thursday for his alleged "all thieves have Modi surname" remarks at a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar in 2019. The court sentenced him to two years in jail. However, he was granted bail.

"Consequent upon his conviction by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat, Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad parliamentary constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. March 23, in terms of the provisions of Article 102(1)(e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951," read the notification issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Friday.

The Congress on Thursday termed the judgement "erroneous" and said it will challenge it in a higher court.

"We believe that this is full of errors. It is ‘erroneous’ and unsustainable judgement . It will be challenged and we are hopeful that it will be stayed and ultimately quashed," Congress spokesperson and MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi had said. (UNI)