Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader has been suspended from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a criminal defamation case, joining an illustrious list of members of Parliament and assemblies who have faced similar action in the past.
A person who was sentenced to two years or more in prison is disqualified “from the date of such conviction” and remains disqualified for another six years after serving time, according to the Representation of the People Act.
Here are some of the lawmakers who have been suspended following criminal convictions and sentences:
Lalu Prasad:
After his conviction in the fodder scam case in September 2013, the RJD supremo was disqualified from the Lok Sabha. He was the Member of Parliament from Saran in Bihar.
Jayalalithaa J:
J Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK supremo, was disqualified from the Tamil Nadu Assembly in September 2014 after being sentenced to four years in prison in a disproportionate assets case. She was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at the time of her disqualification, and she was forced to resign.
Mohammed Faizal, P.P.
P P Mohammed Faisal of the Nationalist Congress Party of Lakshadweep was automatically disqualified after being sentenced to ten years in prison in January 2023 in connection with an attempted murder case. The Kerala High Court, however, later suspended his conviction and sentence. The MP claims that the Lok Sabha Secretariat has yet to issue a notification reversing his disqualification.
Azam Khan:
Azam Khan, the leader of the Samajwadi Party was barred from running for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in October 2022 after a court sentenced him to three years in prison in a hate speech case in 2019. In the Assembly, he represented Rampur Sadar.
Anil Kumar Sahni:
Anil Kumar Sahni, an RJD MLA, was disqualified from the Bihar Assembly in October 2022 after being sentenced to three years in prison for fraud. He was elected to represent the Kurhani assembly seat.
He was found guilty of attempting to obtain travel allowance in 2012 by using forged Air India e-tickets without actually traveling. Sahni, a JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP at the time of the attempted fraud, had submitted Rs 23.71 lakh in claims.
Vikram Singh Saini:
After being sentenced to two years in prison in a 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case, BJP MLA Vikram Singh Saini was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly with effect from October 2022. Saini was a Muzaffarnagar MLA from Khatauli.
Pradeep Chaudhary:
After being sentenced to three years in prison in an assault case, Congress MLA Pradeep Chaudhary was disqualified from the Haryana Assembly in January 2021. He was a Kalka legislator.
Kuldeep Singh Sengar:
Following his conviction in a rape case, Kuldeep Singh Sengar was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in February 2020. Sengar, who was elected from Unnao’s Bangarmau constituency, had previously been expelled by the BJP.
Abdullah Azam Khan:
Abdullah Azam Khan, a Samajwadi Party MLA, was disqualified from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in February 2023, just days after a court sentenced him to two years in prison in a 15-year-old case. In the Rampur district Assembly, he represented Suar.
The case against Abdullah Azam Khan, Azam Khan’s son, involved a highway dharna after his cavalcade was stopped by police for questioning following an attack on a CRPF camp in Rampur on December 31, 2007.
Anant Singh:
After being convicted in a case involving the recovery of arms and ammunition from his residence, RJD MLA Anant Singh was disqualified from the Bihar Assembly in July 2022. Singh was a Patna district MLA from Mokama.