After a month-long legal consultations, Congress leader Rasheed Masood on Monday became the first lawmaker to lose his seat as per a Supreme Court ruling that mandates the immediate disqualification of a Member of Parliament convicted for criminal offences punishable with a jail term of more than two years.
Rajya Sabha Secretary General Shumsher K Sheriff issued a formal notification announcing a vacancy in the House following the disqualification of Masood, a minister in the VP Singh government between 1990 and 1991 who was convicted earlier this year in a corruption case. The delay in Masood’s ouster was on account of confusion over the correct authority to notify the disqualification.
“Consequent upon the conviction of Rasheed Masood on the 19th September, 2013, Member of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) under Section 120B read with Sections 420 and 468 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and Sub-section (2) of Section 13 read with Clause (d) of Sub-section (1) of Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, stands disqualified for being a Member of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) from the date of his conviction, i.e. the 19th day of September, 2013 for the period of his sentence and shall continue to be disqualified for a further period of six years since his release in terms of the existing Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act,” the notification of Rajya Sabha said. A copy of the notification has been sent to the Election Commission.
Lok Sabha members Lalu Prasad and Jagdish Sharma, both convicted in the fodder scam, are set to be formally disqualified as the Lok Sabha secretariat is likely to follow suit.