LI Network
Published on: 27 April 2023 at 11:18 IST
On Wednesday, a judge of the Gujarat High Court recused herself from hearing an appeal by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, which challenges the order of the Surat sessions court that refused to stay his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his remark about the “Modi surname.”
During the hearing, Gandhi’s lawyer requested an urgent hearing, but the court declined to hear the case.
The development occurred a day after Gandhi filed the appeal in the high court. The case was originally heard in a metropolitan magistrate’s court in Surat, which convicted Gandhi and sentenced him to two years in jail.
Following this verdict, Gandhi was disqualified as a Member of Parliament (MP) under the Representation of the People Act.
Gandhi challenged the order in a sessions court in Surat, but his application for a stay on his conviction was rejected.
A stay order could lead to Gandhi’s reinstatement as an MP. Currently, he is on bail in the case.