In a significant development, Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Congress party, has been nominated to the parliamentary standing committee on defence following the reinstatement of his Lok Sabha membership. The Lok Sabha bulletin announced this nomination along with the inclusion of Congress MP Amar Singh in the same committee.

Another notable nomination is that of Sushil Kumar Rinku, a newly elected member of the Lok Sabha from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Rinku, who secured victory in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll, has been nominated to the committee on agriculture, animal husbandry, and food processing. He stands as the sole AAP representative in the Lower House of Parliament.

NCP’s Faizal P P Mohammed, whose Lok Sabha membership was restored in March, has been appointed to the committee on consumer affairs, food, and public distribution.

Prior to his disqualification in March, Rahul Gandhi was a member of the parliamentary panel on defence. However, his Lok Sabha membership was reinstated on August 7 after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a 2019 defamation case related to his remarks about the “Modi surname.”

The disqualification of Gandhi as a Lok Sabha member occurred on March 24, retroactive to March 23, following his conviction in the aforementioned case in a Gujarat court. He was sentenced to two years in jail.

This development marks a significant step in Rahul Gandhi’s parliamentary journey, positioning him once again in a key committee that addresses matters of national security and defence.