Shillong, November 2: The Lok Sabha Secretariat reinstated the membership of Lakshadweep MP Mohammad Faizal on Thursday, following directives from the Supreme Court, who had disqualified him on October 4.
As per IANS, in a notification issued on Thursday, the Secretariat officially restored his membership in the Lok Sabha. The Supreme Court intervened in this matter on October 9, putting a stay on a Kerala High Court decision that had initially rejected Faizal’s plea to suspend his conviction in an attempted murder case.
This Kerala High Court decision had led to Faizal’s disqualification as an MP for the second time. However, with the Supreme Court’s stay order, he can now continue his role as an MP.
The bench, consisting of Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice Sanjay Karol, not only stayed the High Court’s order but also specified that the benefit of suspension of conviction from the Supreme Court’s August 22 remand order would remain in effect. The August 22 order had remanded the case back to the High Court for reconsideration of the suspension of conviction. The apex court further directed that the benefit of the suspension of conviction would persist during this time.
In January, a sessions court in Lakshadweep’s Kavaratti had sentenced Faizal to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in an attempted murder during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. This led to his suspension from the Lok Sabha on January 25. However, in March, the High Court suspended his conviction and sentence in the case. Subsequently, the complainant and the Lakshadweep administration appealed to the apex court.