On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear a plea by disqualified Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal PP challenging the delay by the Lok Sabha secretariat in restoring his membership.
Faizal’s conviction and sentence of 10 years in jail were stayed by the Kerala High Court on January 25, 2023.
Faizal’s disqualification drew attention amidst opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from parliament membership after he was convicted by a court in Surat, Gujarat.
“I was disqualified in 24 hours… It has been almost two months since my conviction got suspended and I am not reinstated,” Faizal told Maktoob.
Earlier, the Kavaratti Sessions Court had convicted four persons, including Faizal for committing offences punishable under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections143, 147, 148, 307, 324, 342, 448, 427, 506 read with 149 relating to offences relating to rioting, attempt to murder, violence, kidnapping.
He was swiftly transferred to a jail in Kerala’s Kannur and disqualified within hours. The MP alleges the whole thing was scripted by the Lakshadweep administrator Praful Patel, who has been under fire for a slew of policies he introduced that is deemed “anti-people”.
After the disqualification, the Election Commission of India issued a Press Note dated 18 January 2023 deciding to hold bye-elections to fill the vacancy in the Parliamentary Constituency of Lakshadweep on 27 February 2023.
But the quick plan to replace him was sabotaged after Kerala High Court by the impugned interim order dated 25 January.
The High Court suspended the conviction and sentence of the Respondent for offences including Section 307 IPC where the punishment of 10 years rigorous imprisonment was imposed and suspended the sentence of the accused.
