Supreme Court Urges Solanki to Support Wife's MLA Tenure Amid Conviction Plea

The Supreme Court has advised disqualified Samajwadi Party leader Irfan Solanki to permit his wife, Naseem Solanki, to maintain her role as an MLA, following her triumph in the November by-elections from UP's Sishamau. The court's observation came amid Solanki's request for a stay on his arson conviction that led to his disqualification.

The bench, including Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and N. Kotiswar Singh, questioned the need for Irfan Solanki's plea, emphasizing that his wife's election win following his disqualification should be respected, given that no further elections are scheduled for two years. Justice Surya Kant expressed that if Naseem has won, she should be allowed to serve.

The Supreme Court opined that since Irfan's disqualification facilitated his wife's victory, seeking a stay on that conviction is unnecessary. The court advised the counsel to pursue similar relief through the Allahabad High Court and offered to direct the High Court to address the case within six months. The Supreme Court plans to hear Solanki's plea after adjourning at his counsel's request. Solanki, convicted for arson by a Kanpur Nagar Sessions Court, has already appealed for relief in the Allahabad High Court, which granted bail but refused to suspend his conviction.

(With inputs from agencies.)