The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the plea of Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi challenging the Gujarat High Court order that declined to stay his conviction and a two-year-jail term in the 'Modi' surname row.
Appearing for Rahul Gandhi, Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned the matter for urgent listing before the Supreme Court.
A bench comprising of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Mishra will hear the plea on July 21.
Gandhi approached the apex court on July 15, challenging the Gujarat HC verdict. Rahul Gandhi said that if the judgment is not stayed, it would lead to throttling of free speech, expression, thought, and statement
He continued that if the high court verdict is not stayed it would contribute to the systematic, repetitive emasculation of democratic institutions and the consequent strangulation of democracy which would be gravely detrimental to the political climate and future of India.
In March, a magisterial court had convicted Gandhi for his remarks ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections about the ‘Modi’ surname.
After a magisterial court convicted Gandhi, he approached the Sessions court, which rejected his plea for a stay on his conviction on April 20. Thereafter, he approached the High court.
After his conviction in the case, Gandhi was declared disqualified as MP from Kerala’s Wayanad on March 24 following a notification of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
