The Supreme Court has stayed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark, pending final adjudication of his appeal by the apex court. The court's order paves the way for restoration of Mr. Gandhi's status as a member of Parliament.
 
Pronouncing the verdict, Justice BR Gavai said, the ramifications of Gandhi's conviction are wide, since it will also affect the right of the electorate who elected him. The court further added that there is no doubt that the alleged utterances are not in good taste as a person in public life is expected to exercise a degree of restraint while making public speeches.
 
A former minister in the Gujarat government Purnesh Modi had filed a criminal defamation case in 2019 against Mr Gandhi over his remark made during an election rally at Kolar in Karnataka in April 2019.