Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Wayanad seat from Kerala has remained vacant post his disqualification as Lok Sabha MP in March 2023. Gandhi was disqualified following his conviction by a lower court in the 2019 ‘Modi surname’ defamation case. Gandhi had appealed to the Gujarat High Court for a stay on his conviction, but his plea was dismissed. As per Section 151A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the EC is required to conduct bypolls within six months if the remainder of a term is one year or more. The EC has previously announced bypolls for vacated seats promptly, but it is currently taking a wait-and-watch approach for Wayanad. The decision is aimed at giving Rahul and his legal team time to seek further remedies. In 2019, Rahul Gandhi had made a statement during a Lok Sabha-campaign rally, questioning the prevalence of the surname ‘Modi’ among thieves. This statement led to a criminal defamation case filed against him by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. Gandhi clarified that he did not intend to defame any community. However, the lower court sentenced him to two years in jail on grounds of defamation. Despite moving the session court and Gujarat High Court to challenge the conviction, Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha remains in effect. The Supreme Court’s decision could potentially determine his chances of reinstatement.