New Delhi/Lucknow—In a swift and unusual move, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Secretariat announced on Sunday that the membership of Abbas Ansari, MLA from Mau Sadar, has been officially revoked following his conviction in a hate speech case. Despite being a holiday, the Secretariat issued the disqualification order and promptly informed the Election Commission of the now-vacant seat, paving the way for a possible by-election, reported the Dawat News.
Abbas Ansari, son of former MLA Mukhtar Ansari, was recently sentenced to two years in prison by a special court in a case relating to an inflammatory speech he delivered during an election rally. Under Indian law, any legislator sentenced to two or more years in jail is liable to be disqualified from the assembly.
The rapid action raised eyebrows, particularly because it came on a Sunday—typically a non-working day for government offices. Observers note that such swift execution of legal and procedural matters is rare, unless the case involves a Muslim politician, where authorities often appear unusually prompt.
Principal Secretary of the UP Assembly, Pradeep Dubey, confirmed to the media that Abbas Ansari’s membership had been terminated and that the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh has been advised to initiate a by-election for the Mau Sadar seat.
Abbas had won the seat for the first time and was representing it as a member of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). His father, Mukhtar Ansari, had also held the same seat multiple times in the past. The court had found Abbas guilty of threatening remarks during a campaign rally, where he claimed that those opposing him would be dealt with once his party came to power.
Legal experts say Abbas still has the option to challenge his conviction in the Supreme Court, which could potentially reinstate his legislative membership if the sentence is overturned or suspended.
The situation continues to draw political and legal attention, especially considering the rapidity with which the state machinery acted in this case compared to similar cases involving non-Muslim legislators.
