The Lok Sabha Secretariat revoked Rahul Gandhi's membership in the upper house on Monday days after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in the ‘Modi’ surname remark case.
Congress posted the official notification from the Lok Sabha Secretariat on the X platform, calling it “Victory of love against hate”.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted, "With enormous relief, welcome the official announcement of @RahulGandhi's reinstatement. He can now resume his duties in the Lok Sabha to serve the people of India and his constituents in Wayanad. A victory for justice and for our democracy!"
With enormous relief, welcome the official announcement of @RahulGandhi’s reinstatement. He can now resume his duties in the Lok Sabha to serve the people of India and his constituents in Wayanad. A victory for justice and for our democracy!@INCIndia @ProfCong
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 7, 2023
Earlier in the day, the Congress party said it would move Supreme Court on Tuesday if the Wayanad MP's membership is not restored by evening. Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "We've given all the documents including order copy. We will meet Lok Sabha Speaker today and if needed we will protest as well. It is our right..."
Gandhi was disqualified as a Lok Sabha member on March 23 after a Gujarat court convicted him in a defamation case and sentenced him to two years in prison. A punishment for two years and above automatically disqualifies a lawmaker.
The Supreme Court stay on the conviction also means that Rahul can contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Rahul's re-entry into the Lok Sabha means he will be part of the no-confidence motion against the Modi government, scheduled to be taken up on Tuesday.
Congress was ealrier wary of a repeat of the case of Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal, whose reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP following the stay of his conviction by the Kerala High Court took one-and-a-half months.
Party leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represented Rahul in the case, said earlier, "There is no need for the Lok Sabha Speaker to seek legal advice from the law ministry in the matter. It is not a complicated issue of law. The base for the disqualification, which was the conviction, is gone. So the reinstatement should happen immediately.”
