SC relief to Rahul Gandhi: Kapil Sibal slams conviction, says unfortunate that court procedures used for political agendas

The Indian Supreme Court has stayed the criminal defamation conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, allowing for his reinstatement as a member of the Lok Sabha and the ability to contest the 2024 parliamentary elections. The court ruled the trial court had made an error in sentencing which led to Gandhi’s disqualification. Following the ruling, former minister Kapil Sibal criticised the politicisation of court procedures, saying he had previously noted the unwarranted conviction. Sibal quit the Congress in 2020 and now sits as an independent with Samajwadi Party support.