Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha as per rules: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said the decision taken by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to disqualify Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was as per rules, and questioning the decision was like targeting the Constitution.

Gandhi, 52, was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. The disqualification will prevent Gandhi, a four-time MP, from contesting elections for eight years unless a higher court stays the conviction.

"Today, it is age of reasons. Whatever decision was taken by the Lok Sabha secretariat was taken as per rules," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Kathua district.

He said to question the decision was to put a question mark on the Constitution, Indian democracy and the country's parliamentary system.

Replying to another question on assembly elections in J and K, Singh said, "The BJP is always ready for elections, but the decision (to hold the elections) is to be taken