Back In Action: Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha Membership Restored, Notice Issued

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary membership is set to be reinstated, following the recent Supreme Court decision to stay his conviction in a 2019 defamation case related to his 'Modi surname' remarks.

A notification confirming Rahul Gandhi's restoration as a Member of Parliament (MP) was released.

The paperwork for Rahul Gandhi's reinstatement was prepared, and the only thing left was approval from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

However, if the Speaker fails to sign the approval today, Congress leaders have been vocal about their dissatisfaction over the delay and may consider moving to the Supreme Court against the Speaker's decision.

On Friday, Rahul Gandhi received significant relief from the Supreme Court as it stayed his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark. This paved the way for his reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP and also allows him to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Supreme Court found fault with the trial court in Surat for not adequately justifying the maximum two-year punishment imposed on Gandhi, leading to his disqualification from Parliament. The court also acknowledged that the utterances were not in good taste and that a public figure should exercise caution while making public speeches. However, it stated that the conviction and disqualification affected not only Gandhi's right to public life but also that of the electorate who elected him.

Congress leaders have been urging for swift action to reinstate Rahul Gandhi as an MP, emphasizing the essence of parliamentary democracy. They want him to participate in the upcoming 'no-confidence motion' against the government in the Lok Sabha, which is scheduled from August 8 to 10.

While celebrations erupted at the Congress party offices after the court verdict, the BJP IT department head, Amit Malviya, pointed out that other criminal defamation cases are still pending against Rahul Gandhi, leaving his political standing on uncertain ground.

Gandhi's counsel Abhishek Singhvi assured that Gandhi's voice for the people's cause would soon be heard in Parliament, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra thanked the Supreme Court on Twitter and cited Gautam Buddha's quote - "Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."