Lily Thomas judgment that changed the face of Indian Parliament

Lily Thomas judgment that changed the face of Indian Parliament

With Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification at the forefront of the national debate, the case of Lily Thomas has once again become a topic of discussion.

A landmark judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, Lily Thomas vs Union of India, which laid the groundwork for disqualifying MPs and MLAs in 2013, is at the center of the current controversy. The interpretation of this judgment has generated a number of debates on a number of forums over the past few days.

A conviction that carries a sentence of two years or more will automatically disqualify an applicant under this landmark ruling.  
The advocate Lily Thomas challenged Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act, which gave a convicted lawmaker the right to appeal within three months of conviction. The SC struck down Section 8(4) in 2013. When convicted of two or more years of imprisonment, a legislator is immediately disqualified from holding office.