Azam Khan disqualification: No bypoll notification till Nov 10, SC tells EC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Election Commission not to issue till November 10 the notification for the assembly bypoll in Rampur Sadar in Uttar Pradesh, which fell vacant following the disqualification of Samajwadi Party MLA Azam Khan after his conviction in a hate speech case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud directed a special sessions court to hear and decide on Thursday itself the appeal of Khan seeking a stay on his conviction so that he survives disqualification as a lawmaker.

The Supreme Court said the Election Commission can issue the notification for the bypoll on or after November 11 once the sessions court decides on Khan's plea.

On October 27, Khan was convicted in the hate speech case and sent to three years in jail by a Rampur court.

The MP-MLA court in Rampur also granted bail to the MLA in the 2019 case.

On October 28, the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Secretariat had announced the disqualification of Khan from the House.