Indian main opposition leader Rahul Gandhi restored to parliament
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been reinstated in parliament following a recent suspension of his defamation conviction by the supreme court.
Last week, the court suspended his conviction related to political statements he made about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Utpal Kumar Singh, the secretary general of the lower house of parliament, announced that Gandhi's disqualification "has been lifted, pending further judicial decisions."
Rahul Gandhi, the 53-year-old leader of the Congress party, had been sentenced to a two-year prison term in March in a case that drew criticism for being perceived as an attempt to suppress political dissent in the world's largest democracy.
The conviction arose from a comment Gandhi made during the 2019 election campaign, in which he questioned why "all thieves have Modi as a common surname." This remark was interpreted by some as an insult directed at the Indian prime minister and individuals sharing the same surname, which holds associations with the lower strata of India's caste system.
As per Indian law, individuals sentenced to a prison term of two years or more are disqualified from holding a seat in parliament. This resulted in Gandhi's expulsion from the legislative body back in March.
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