The Gujarat High Court is expected to announce its decision on Friday regarding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s appeal for a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case relating to his “Modi surname” remark. The verdict will be delivered by Justice Hemant Prachchhak at 11 am, as indicated in the cause list issued by the court on Thursday. In May, the court had denied interim protection to Gandhi and reserved his plea for further consideration. On June 2, the court had also declined to grant interim suspension on Gandhi’s conviction in the criminal defamation case, which resulted in a two-year jail sentence handed down by the Surat court.
Justice Prachchhak had stated that the matter would be decided once the court reopened after vacation, as the Gujarat High Court’s last working day was May 5, and it resumed proceedings on June 5. During the recent court proceedings, Gandhi’s counsel had requested an interim order, but the request was denied. Gandhi’s conviction led to his disqualification as a Member of Parliament (MP). As per the law, a member convicted of an offense punishable by two or more years of imprisonment is disqualified as an MP. Only the suspension of the conviction can allow the member to continue serving in Parliament, potentially resulting in Gandhi’s reinstatement as a Lok Sabha member.
The arguments in the case were presented by senior advocates Nirupam Nanavaty, representing the complainant Purnesh Modi (a BJP MLA from Gujarat), and Abhishek Singhvi, representing Gandhi. The defamation case was filed against Gandhi by Purnesh Modi following his remark during an election rally in Karnataka in 2019, where Gandhi questioned why individuals with the surname “Modi” were predominantly associated with being thieves. After being convicted, Gandhi, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Kerala, approached a sessions court in Surat, seeking a stay on the conviction.
While he was granted bail, the court refused to suspend the conviction on April 20. Consequently, Gandhi approached the Gujarat High Court to challenge the order. The eagerly awaited verdict from the Gujarat High Court will determine whether Rahul Gandhi’s conviction is stayed, potentially allowing him to continue his parliamentary duties as an elected representative.