India: Rahul Gandhi's request to suspend his sentence rejected

2023-04-21T02:45:20.951Z

Highlights: The former prime minister candidate was recently sentenced to prison for defaming Narendra Modi. The politician was prosecuted for insinuating during the 2019 election campaign that "all thieves have Modi as their surname" The judges imposed the maximum sentence of two years in prison for the election statement. Only a suspension of this sentence will allow him to return to Parliament and be able to be a candidate in the national legislative elections next year. But time is running out: the election commission must conduct a new election in its constituency within five months. And once a new MP is elected, Rahul Gandhi will not be can regain his seat in Parliament.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction was upheld on appeal, further reducing his chances of returning to parliamentary politics. The former candidate for the post of Prime Minister has been...

India: Rahul Gandhi's request to suspend his sentence rejected

Rahul Gandhi will now turn to the Gujarat Court of Appeal. AP - Altaf Qadri

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction was upheld on appeal, further reducing his chances of returning to parliamentary politics. The former prime minister candidate was recently sentenced to prison for defaming Narendra Modi, which also led to his disqualification as a federal MP.

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With our correspondent in New Delhi, Sébastien Farcis

Rahul Gandhi used derogatory language towards the prime minister, he should have been more careful." Thus, the judge of the court of Surat, Gujarat, rejected this Thursday the request for suspension of the sentence pronounced on March 23 against Rahul Gandhi. The politician was prosecuted for insinuating during the 2019 election campaign that "all thieves have Modi as their surname". The surname originated in Gujarat, and the judges imposed the maximum sentence of two years in prison for the election statement.

Appeal exhausted

His first appeal is exhausted, and Rahul Gandhi will turn to the regional court of appeal. Only a suspension of this sentence will allow him to return to Parliament and be able to be a candidate in the national legislative elections next year. Rahul Gandhi is currently out on bail after appealing his conviction on 3 April.

Time is running out

But time is running out: the election commission must conduct a new election in its constituency within five months. And once a new MP is elected, Rahul Gandhi will not be able to regain his seat in Parliament.

India: Rahul Gandhi's request to suspend his sentence rejected

India: Rahul Gandhi's request to suspend his sentence rejected

Appeal exhausted

Time is running out

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