Afzal Ansari’s disqualification has been revoked by Lok Sabha following the Supreme Court’s order
Ansari’s status as a lawmaker has been restored, but with limited rights. He will not be able to attend the upcoming budget session of Parliament.
New Delhi: BSP leader Afzal Ansari’s disqualification as a member of the House of Representatives was revoked by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Thursday after the Supreme Court conditionally stayed his conviction in a Gangsters Act case.
While suspending his sentence in December last year, the Supreme Court had said Ansari has no right to participate in the proceedings in the House of Representatives. He will also not have the right to vote in the Lok Sabha or enjoy perks or monetary benefits.
Ansari’s status as a lawmaker has been restored, but with limited rights. He will not be able to attend the upcoming budget session of Parliament.
In a notification, the Lok Sabha Secretariat noted that the Supreme Court had stayed the conviction of Afzal Ansari, who represented Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur seat in the Lok Sabha, with certain conditions.
“In view of the December 14, 2023 order of the Supreme Court of India, the disqualification of Afzal Ansari (notified on May 1, 2023) ceases to have effect, subject to the conditions imposed by the Supreme Court of India and any further court order ,” the report said.
The Supreme Court had last month conditionally stayed Ansari’s conviction in a 2007 case under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-social Activity (Prevention) Act, 1986, saying his constituency Ghazipur was deprived of its legitimate representation in the legislature will be deprived as a by- Elections may not be held in view of the remaining term of the current Lok Sabha.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan had ruled in a 2:1 majority judgment that the Ghazipur parliamentary constituency would not be notified for by-elections in terms of provisions of the Representation of the People Act (RPA ). ) until the Supreme Court decides Ansari’s appeal against his conviction.
While Justices Kant and Bhuyan delivered the majority verdict, Justice Datta dismissed Ansari’s appeal against the order of the Allahabad High Court.
The majority judgment read: “However, the appellant (Ansari) has no right to participate in the proceedings of the House. He will also not have the right to vote in the House of Representatives or to enjoy any benefits or pecuniary benefits.” It said the continuation of Local Area Development Schemes (MPLAD) of Members of Parliament in Ghazipur parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh, without Ansari’s involvement in releasing grants for such schemes, is not an irrevocable consequence as all such regulations can come into effect. even in the absence of the local parliamentary representative.
The bench said Ansari will not be disqualified from contesting future elections while his criminal appeal is pending before the Supreme Court and that, if elected, such elections will depend on the outcome of the appeal.