Hyderabad: The disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Parliament following his conviction in a criminal defamation case is not the first case in the history of Indian politics. The suspension of Gandhi opens the Pandora’s where several MPs and MLAs have been suspended from the respective assemblies and Parliament on different occasions.
The latest case is that of A Raja who was disqualified on the ground that he had given fake caste certificate to contest from the reserved seat of Devikulam. Though the party decided to contest the Kerala High Court order but presently the election of Devikulum stands void and Raja ceased to become an MP.
According to the Representation of the People Act, a person sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified "from the date of such conviction" and remain disqualified for another six years after serving time. In the last ten years 26 MLAs and 4 MPs including one from Rajya Sabha have been disqualified on different occasions.
Here are some of the lawmakers suspended upon conviction and sentencing in criminal cases:
A Raja:
The Kerala CPM MLA was disqualified for poll fraud. The Kerala High Court declared void the election of A Raja of the LDF from Devikulam, a reserved assembly constituency in the Idukki district. Raja was convicted of producing fake caste certificate to contest from Devikulam, a reserved assembly constituency.
Lalu Prasad Yadav:
The RJD supremo was disqualified from the Lok Sabha after his conviction in the fodder scam case in September 2013. He was an MP from Saran in Bihar.
Anil Kumar Sahni:
RJD MLA A Anil Kumar Sahni who was awarded three years in prison for fraudulent withdrawal of money as then JD(U) Rajya Sabha member (2010-12 and 2012-18) against LTC claims on forged bills, was disqualified from the state legislative assembly.
Anant Kumar Singh
RJD MLA Anant Kumar Singh was disqualified on Friday by the Bihar Vidhan Sabha following his conviction in a case related to recovery of arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 assault rifle, from his residence at Nadwa village under Barh police station in Patna district in 2019.
J Jayalalithaa:
AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa was disqualified from the Tamil Nadu Assembly in September 2014 after she was sentenced to four years in jail in a disproportionate assets case. She was the chief minister of Tamil Nadu at the time of her disqualification and had to resign from the post.
P P Mohammed Faizal:
Lakshadweep MP P P Mohammed Faisal of the Nationalist Congress Party stood automatically disqualified after he was sentenced to 10 years in jail in January 2023 in connection with an attempt to murder case. However, the Kerala High Court later suspended his conviction and sentence. According to the MP, the Lok Sabha Secretariat is yet to issue a notification revoking his disqualification.
Azam Khan:
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in October 2022 after a court sentenced him to three years in jail in a 2019 hate speech case. He represented Rampur Sadar in the Assembly
Vikram Singh Saini:
BJP MLA Vikram Singh Saini was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly with effect from October 2022 after he was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case. Saini was an MLA from Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar.
Pradeep Chaudhary:
Congress MLA Pradeep Chaudhary was disqualified from the Haryana Assembly in January 2021 after he was sentenced to a three-year jail term in an assault case. He was an MLA from Kalka.
Kuldeep Singh Sengar:
Kuldeep Singh Sengar was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in February 2020 following his conviction in a rape case. Sengar, who was elected from the Bangarmau constituency in Unnao, was earlier expelled by the BJP.
Abdullah Azam Khan:
Samajwadi Party MLA Abdullah Azam Khan was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in February 2023, days after a court sentenced him to two-year imprisonment in a 15-year-old case. He represented Suar in Rampur district in the Assembly.
The case against Abdullah Azam Khan, the son of Azam Khan, pertained to a dharna on a highway after his cavalcade was stopped by police for checking following an attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur on December 31, 2007.
