India - August 2023

On 4 August, the Supreme Court (SC) issued a stay of the conviction of Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case from March 2023, regarding his remarks about the Modi surname. The SC decision permitted Gandhi to resume his parliamentary duties on 7 August and participate in the upcoming 2024 general election while processing his appeal before issuing a final ruling on the defamation case. The SC observed that the trial court failed to provide adequate justification for imposing the maximum two-year jail sentence, which led to Gandhi's disqualification under the Representation of People Act. However, the SC also cautioned that his comments were not in good taste.

Sources: The Hindu, Times of India, Institute of South Asian Studies