Supreme Court turns down pleas on its July 10 order on lawmakers

While Prasad was convicted on September 30 in a fodder scam case, Masood was held guilty in a medical scam case and both of them are on bail.

The bench, which dismissed the plea for modification of July 10 order to make it effective even in case of sitting members of Parliament who were convicted before the aforesaid judgement, said the question was dealt by it in the same verdict.

“This court has considered and given reasons as why the July 10 judgement would be applicable to the sitting member of Parliament to incur disqualification under section 8(1), (2) and (3) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) from the date of judgement,” the bench said.

The NGO had said 27 MPs and MLAs who have been convicted have continue to be member of legislative bodies.  

“Exemption to already convicted sitting members is not in accordance with Articles of the Constitution which provide that the disqualification shall be effective instantly,” the petition had said, adding, “It is also not in consonance with the intention of the framers of the Constitution.”