Modi surname: SC to hear Rahul’s plea 21 July

New Delhi, July 18:  The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, agreed to hear on July 21 the plea filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi challenging the Gujarat High Court’s order that declined to stay his conviction and a two-year-jail term in the ‘Modi’ surname defamation case. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Rahul Gandhi, mentioned the matter for urgent listing before the Supreme Court. Rahul Gandhi had on Saturday approached the apex court challenging the Gujarat High Court order which declined to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case in which he was sentenced to two years in jail by Surat court over ‘Modi surname’ remark. After his conviction in the case, Gandhi was declared disqualified as MP from Kerala’s Wayanad on March 24 following notification of the Lok Sabha Secretariat. Gandhi was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment which disqualified him as an MP under the rigours of the Representation of People Act. In March, the magisterial court had convicted Gandhi for his remarks ahead of the 2019 national polls about the ‘Modi’ surname. After 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.