{"id":725,"date":"2023-03-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-25T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/25-03-2023\/disqualification-of-a-lawmaker\/"},"modified":"2023-03-25T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-03-25T00:00:00","slug":"disqualification-of-a-lawmaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/25-03-2023\/disqualification-of-a-lawmaker","title":{"rendered":"Disqualification of a lawmaker"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>In Context<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has recently been disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after he was convicted in a <\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current-affairs\/24-03-2023\/what-is-defamation-law#:~:text=IPC%20Section%20499%20lays%20down,person%20found%20guilty%20of%20defamation).\" style=\"text-decoration-line:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"color:#1155cc\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">defamation <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">case by a Surat court.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Disqualification of a lawmaker<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It is prescribed in three situations.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">First is through <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Articles 102(1) and 191(1)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> for <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>disqualification of a member of Parliament<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> and a<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> member of the Legislative Assembly <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">respectively.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The grounds here include the following\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">If he holds any <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>office of profit under the Union or state government <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">(except that of a minister or any other office exempted by Parliament).<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">If he is of <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>unsound mind<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> and <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>stands so declared by a court<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">If he is an<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> undischarged insolvent<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">If he is <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>not a citizen of India<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign state or is under any acknowledgement of allegiance to a foreign state<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The second prescription of<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> disqualification is in the Tenth Schedule <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">of the Constitution, which provides for the disqualification of the members on <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>grounds of defection<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">A member incurs disqualification under the defection law:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">If he voluntarily gives up the membership of the political party on whose ticket he is elected to the House;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">If he votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction given by his political party;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">If any independently elected member joins any political party; and<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">If any nominated member joins any political party after the expiry of six months.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The third prescription is under <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>The Representation of The People Act (RPA)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, 1951. This law provides for disqualification for conviction in criminal cases.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Provisions in the Representation of The People Act (RPA) dealing with disqualification<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">There are several provisions that deal with disqualification under the RPA.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Section 9<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It deals with disqualification for dismissal for <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>corruption <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">or <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>disloyalty<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, and for<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> entering into government contracts<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> while being a lawmaker.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Section 10<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It deals with disqualification for<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> failure to lodge an account of election expenses<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Section 11<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It deals with <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>disqualification for corrupt practices<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Section 8<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It deals with <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>disqualification for conviction of offences<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The provision is aimed at <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>\u201cpreventing the criminalisation of politics\u201d <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">and keeping \u2018tainted\u2019 lawmakers from contesting elections.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Section 8(1) <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">of RPA includes specific offences such as promoting enmity between two groups, bribery, and undue influence or personation at an election.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Section 8(2) <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">also lists offences that deal with hoarding or profiteering, adulteration of food or drugs and for conviction and sentence of at least six months for an offence under any provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Section 8(3) <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">states \u201cA person convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction and shall continue to be disqualified for a further period of six years since his release.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Congress leader\u2019s membership of Parliament <\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">has been cancelled following his conviction and <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>sentencing by a local court in a 2019 defamation case<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Thus, the disqualification is triggered by the conviction itself, and not by the Lok Sabha notification.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Deciding authority<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">On the question of whether a member is subject to any of the disqualifications, the <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>President\u2019s decision is final<\/strong><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">However, he should obtain the opinion of the election commission and act accordingly.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In case of disqualification under the tenth schedule:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The question of disqualification under the Tenth Schedule is decided by the Chairman in the case of Rajya Sabha and the Speaker in the case of Lok Sabha (and not by the president of India).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In 1992, the Supreme Court ruled that the decision of the Chairman\/Speaker in this regard is subject to judicial review<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Reversal of disqualification, related judgements &#038; way ahead<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The disqualification can be reversed if a higher court grants a stay on the conviction or decides the appeal in favour of the convicted lawmaker.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Lok Prahari v Union of India:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In a 2018 decision in \u2018Lok Prahari v Union of India\u2019, the Supreme Court clarified that the disqualification \u201cwill not operate from the date of the stay of conviction by the appellate court.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:disc\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Section 8(4):<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It states that the disqualification takes effect only \u201cafter three months have elapsed\u201d from the date of conviction. Within that period, MP can file an appeal against the sentence before the High Court.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:circle\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Lily Thomas v Union of India:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">While the law had initially provided for a pause on disqualification if an appeal against the conviction was filed before a higher court, in the landmark 2013 ruling in \u2018Lily Thomas v Union of India\u2019, the Supreme Court struck down Section 8(4) of the RPA as unconstitutional.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type:square\"><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">This means that simply filing an appeal will not be enough but the convicted MP must secure a specific order of stay against the conviction of the trial court.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color:#d9ead3; border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Mains Practice Question\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:12pt\"><strong>[Q] <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size:12pt\">What leads to the disqualification of a member of Parliament in India? What does\u00a0 Representation of the People\u00a0 Law say about disqualification? Can the disqualification be reversed?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Context Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has recently been disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after he was convicted in a defamation case by a Surat court. Disqualification of a lawmaker It is prescribed in three situations.\u00a0 First is through Articles 102(1) and 191(1) for disqualification of a member of Parliament and a member [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":726,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[30,49,73,71],"class_list":["post-725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-gs-2","tag-indian-constitution","tag-parliament-state-legislatures","tag-significant-provisions"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/26455672962218D1C2BEA-B42D-44CA-AC90-12BFBC61D8CC.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=725"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/726"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}