Rahul Gandhi will be losing these privileges after being disqualified from Lok Sabha 

On March 23, 2023, Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Wayanad, was convicted by a Gujarat court in a criminal defamation case for his remarks on the Modi surname. BJP MLA Purnesh Modi filed a complaint against the Congress leader over an alleged remark made by Gandhi, which stated, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?”

The court sentenced him to two years in jail, but he was granted bail and the sentence was suspended for 30 days. The next day, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a notification that Rahul Gandhi stood disqualified from the House with immediate effect.

This disqualification means that Rahul Gandhi’s seat in Wayanad now stands vacant, and the Election Commission may soon announce a fresh election schedule for the constituency. 

In addition to losing his parliamentary seat, Rahul Gandhi will also lose several privileges enjoyed by members of parliament under Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution.

These privileges include immunity from civil and criminal proceedings “in respect of” anything he said or voted in Parliament, as well as amenities such as salary, daily allowances, travelling allowances, and travelling facilities. 

Furthermore, he will not be able to contest any election for six years after completing his sentence, making it a total of eight years from the date of conviction.

This disqualification also means that Rahul Gandhi will not be able to contest the general election in 2024 unless his conviction is suspended or overturned by a higher court before the elections. The loss of such privileges is significant, and it is likely that the government may also ask him to vacate his official residence in Delhi.

The disqualification has sparked reactions from politicians across the spectrum. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has called it “Politics Gloves Off,” suggesting that it bodes ill for democracy.

Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *