India: Rahul Gandhi Disqualified From Parliament After Defamation Jail Term

India’s main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified as a member of parliament.

This comes a day after being convicted in a defamation case and sentenced to two years in jail.

A notice issued by the parliament said on Friday; “Rahul Gandhi stands disqualified from the member of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction."

Gandhi was found guilty for a speech ahead of the 2019 general election in which he referred to thieves as having the surname Modi.

Congress officials have described the court order as politically motivated and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of targeting political opponents.

Congress members held protests in some parts of the country on Friday against Gandhi’s conviction and two-year-old jail sentence.

Gandhi now faces the risk of not being able to contest national elections due in 2024 if his conviction is not suspended or overturned by a higher court before the elections.