NCP's Mohammed Faizal disqualified as Lok Sabha member

NCP leader Mohammed Faizal P P was disqualified as member of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday after the Kerala High Court rejected his plea for suspension of his conviction in a murder case. "In view of order dated 03.10.2023 of the Hon'ble High Court of Kerala, Shri Mohammed Faizal P.P., Member of Lok Sabha representing the Lakshadweep Parliamentary Constituency of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction, i.e. 11th January, 2023," a Lok Sabha Secretariat bulletin stated.

This is the second time Faizal has been disqualified as member of the Lok Sabha. He was disqualified as Lok Sabha member on January 25, days after a sessions court at Kavaratti had convicted him and three others on charges of attempting to murder P Salih and sentenced all the three to rigourous imprisonment for 10 years. Faizal's disqualification was revoked on March 29, months after the Kerala High Court suspended his conviction and sentencing in the case. The Kerala HC had suspended his conviction and sentence after Faizal moved the court on January 25. The Lakshadweep administration had then challenged the HC decision before the Supreme Court. The suspension verdict was later set aside with the apex court terming the HC decision ‘erroneous’ on August 22.The top court had temporarily protected his status as MP for three weeks and stressed the need to avert a vacuum in representation of the Lakshadweep Lok Sabha constituency. It had also remanded the matter back to the HC and sought a fresh decision on the lawmaker's application seeking a stay of his conviction within this period.