NEW DELHI: The Surat sessions court is scheduled to hear Rahul Gandhi's appeal to dismiss the defamation case against him over the Modi reference. Earlier, the Supreme Court had stayed the verdict of Rahul being guilty. Rahul filed an appeal in the Surat Sessions Court. But the bench of Justice RP Mogera, which rejected Rahul's plea to stay the judgment earlier, is considering the petition today.

The Supreme Court stayed the verdict against Rahul on three grounds. The Sessions Judge did not specify why the maximum punishment was given to Rahul in the defamation case. The fact that Rahul is a representative of the people was not considered. Rahul filed the petition citing these three points in the Supreme Court verdict.

The Supreme Court had issued a stay and asked whether even if Rahul was sentenced to one year and 11 months, he would not be disqualified and that verdict would affect the people of his constituency Wayanad. The Supreme Court also remarked that politicians should exercise greater caution in their speech, citing that Rahul's remarks were in poor taste.