New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s conviction of two years imprisonment was stayed by the Supreme Court on Friday. A Supreme Court bench of Justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha, and Sanjay Kumar was hearing Rahul Gandhi’s request for a stay on his conviction. The Gujarat High Court had earlier refused to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case.

The Supreme Court bench Judges said that while Rahul’s remarks was not in good taste, his disqualification from parliament would affect his constituents. The trial judge had awarded the maximum sentence of two years in the case, the Supreme Court observed, pointing out that it would not have attracted disqualification as an MP if the sentence was a day lesser.

No doubt that the utterances by the petitioner were not in good taste, the Supreme Court said today, and the petitioner ought to have been more careful in making speeches. The ramifications of disqualification not just affect the right of the individual but also the electorate, the Supreme Court said.

This was Rahul Gandhi’s last chance before acquittal, and will allow him to attend the parliament and contest elections, his lawyer earlier argued in the court, adding that the High Court had reserved its judgement for 66 days, and due to conviction in the case, he has already lost two Parliament sessions.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Rahul Gandhi, said the trial has been completed, and he has even been convicted, yet there is no evidence so far.