19 Jan 2024 8:56 AM GMT
The Supreme Court on Friday (January 19) dismissed a petition challenging the restoration of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership, which was suspended following his conviction in a criminal defamation case over the 'Modi-thieves' remark.
The Lok Sabha membership was restored after the Supreme Court stayed the conviction of Gandhi in August last year. Lawyer Ashok Pandey later filed a writ petition contending that Lok Sabha membership can be restored only after the member is acquitted in the criminal case.
A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta termed the petition as frivolous and imposed a cost of Rupees one lakh on the petitioner. The bench said that such petitions only waste the time of the Court.
Previously, the same petitioner had challenged the restoration of the Lok Sabha membership of Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal, which was also dismissed by the Court with a cost of Rs 1 lakh.
Case : ASHOK PANDEY vs. THE SPEAKER OF LOK SABHA | Diary No.- 36627 - 2023