Ahead of debate on no-trust motion, Rahul Gandhi returns to Lok Sabha as MP
New Delhi, August 7
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi returned to the Lok Sabha after being reinstated as MP on Monday, ahead of the crucial debate on the no-confidence motion to be taken up by the House tomorrow and day after.
Slated from today; PM’s reply on Aug 10
- Debate on no-confidence motion is slated for August 8 and 9; PM Narendra Modi will give his reply on August 10
- Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, mover of the motion, is likely to open from the Opposition side; Rahul Gandhi may also speak
- Jharkhand MP Nishikant Dubey is likely to be first speaker from BJP; Home Minister Amit Shah may intervene
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the debate on August 10. A nearly 12-hour discussion on Tuesday and Wednesday is tentatively listed on the motion moved by Congress MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi over the ethnic violence in Manipur.
Gandhi might also speak on the motion, sources said. The Wayanad MP was back in Parliament today after over four months, following a membership reinstatement notification by the LS secretariat. Rahul was automatically disqualified as MP on March 24 after a Surat court sentenced him to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case.
In the notification, the LS secretariat said in view of the Supreme Court’s August 4 order suspending Rahul’s sentence, the disqualification ceased to operate, subject to further judicial pronouncements.
Under the Representation of People’s Act, an MP/MLA sentenced for not less than two years automatically stands disqualified from the respective House. Rahul paid floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi’s statute outside Parliament before returning to the Lok Sabha chamber at noon. He was welcomed by his colleagues. Opposition leaders also hailed his reinstatement.