Lok Sabha restores the membership of Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal

The Lok Sabha secretariat reinstated Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal's membership hours before the Supreme Court was set to hear his petition challenging his continued exclusion from the Lower House.

Faizal was banned as a Lok Sabha Member on January 13 after being convicted of attempted murder by a sessions court in Kavaratti two days earlier. Faizal was convicted to ten years in jail and fined Rs one lakh for attempting to assassinate Mohammad Salih, the son-in-law of late Union minister PM Sayeed, during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

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"In continuation of Notification No. 21/4(1)/2023/TO(B), dated 13 January 2023, intimation has since been received from the High Court of Kerala that the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam has passed an order on 25.01.2023 in Cr1. M.A. No. 1 of 2023 in Cr1. Appeal No. 49 of 2023, suspending the conviction and sentencing of Mohammed Faizal P.P., Member of Lok Sabha representing the Lakshadweep Parliamentary Constituency of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, which was ordered by the Judgment dated 11.01.2023 of the Court of Sessions, Kavaratti, Lakshadweep in Sessions case no. 01/2017. 

In view of the order dated 25.01.2023 of the High Court of Kerala, the disqualification of Mohammed Faizal P P, notified vide Gazette Notification no. 21/4(1)/2023/TO(B) dated the 13. January 2023 in terms of the provisions of Article 102(1)(e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, has ceased to operate subject to further judicial pronouncements," the notification reads.