Earlier in the case, the court had refused Rahul Gandhi interim protection. Rahul Gandhi filed a petition with the Gujarat High Court asking for a stay of his conviction in the defamation case involving the remark about the “Modi surname,” and the court will rule on that petition on Friday. The Congress politician, who filed an appeal after being found guilty in the case, received bail on April 3 from the Surat Sessions Court. Gandhi’s disqualification can be overturned if the court decides to postpone his conviction.

Previously, the court had denied Rahul Gandhi interim protection in the lawsuit. After reserving his order, Justice Hemant Prachchhak announced that he will issue the ruling in June, following the end of the school year. “It is in the interest and fitness of the case that the matter be decided finally and no interim protection be granted at this stage. Hence, the matter is kept for final judgment post summer vacations,” Bar and Bench quoted Justice Prachchhak as saying. The Surat trial court was also required by the High Court to present it with the initial “record and proceedings” of the case.

Rahul Gandhi was convicted to two years in prison by a Surat metropolitan magistrate’s court in the 2019 case over his “why all thieves have Modi surname” comment, and as a result, he lost his right to serve in the Lok Sabha. This led to Gandhi’s disqualification. The Surat Sessions Court ultimately decided against staying the conviction in this case. Wayanad’s former Lok Sabha member had stated:

“How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?” Targeting Prime Minister Modi on the fact that he shares his last name with wanted businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi while speaking at a rally in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Purnesh Modi, a BJP lawmaker, initiated the lawsuit. According to a 2013 decision by the Supreme Court, Rahul lost his right to serve as an MP on March 24 after being found guilty. According to the judgement, if found guilty and given a term of two years or more, any MP or MLA is immediately disqualified.