By Online Desk
BJP legislator Ramdular Gond was sentenced to 25 years in prison along with a fine of Rs 10 lakh for raping a minor girl in Sonbhadra in 2014.
The MLA from Duddhi assembly constituency (reserved for STs) in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district was convicted and sentenced by the MP-MLA court of additional district judge (I).
However, despite the MLA being sentenced by the court on December 15, he is yet to be disqualified from the UP Assembly.
The Wire points out that according to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a lawmaker convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for two or more years “shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction” and shall remain disqualified for a further period of six months following his or her release.
Gond was elected as MLA for the first time in 2022.
In a message posted on platform X, Samajwadi Party President and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav questioned, “Is he (Gond) being given special respect and immunity because he is a BJP MLA?”
He recalled that SP leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah were disqualified from the assembly within 48 hours of being convicted. It now remains to be seen when action will follow against Gond, he said.
The Wire recalled that another BJP MLA in Uttar Pradesh, Kuldeep Singh Sengar was disqualified after he was sentenced to life for raping a teenager in February 2020. Follow channel on WhatsApp
BJP legislator Ramdular Gond was sentenced to 25 years in prison along with a fine of Rs 10 lakh for raping a minor girl in Sonbhadra in 2014.
The MLA from Duddhi assembly constituency (reserved for STs) in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district was convicted and sentenced by the MP-MLA court of additional district judge (I).
However, despite the MLA being sentenced by the court on December 15, he is yet to be disqualified from the UP Assembly.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The Wire points out that according to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a lawmaker convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for two or more years “shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction” and shall remain disqualified for a further period of six months following his or her release.
Gond was elected as MLA for the first time in 2022.
In a message posted on platform X, Samajwadi Party President and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav questioned, “Is he (Gond) being given special respect and immunity because he is a BJP MLA?”
He recalled that SP leader Azam Khan and his son Abdullah were disqualified from the assembly within 48 hours of being convicted. It now remains to be seen when action will follow against Gond, he said.
The Wire recalled that another BJP MLA in Uttar Pradesh, Kuldeep Singh Sengar was disqualified after he was sentenced to life for raping a teenager in February 2020.
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