UP assembly reinstates MLA Abbas Ansari | Lucknow News
Lucknow: The UP assembly on Monday restored the membership of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party MLA Abbas Ansari, 18 days after Allahabad high court overturned his conviction in a 2022 hate speech case. Abbas, MLA from Mau Sadar, is the son of late gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari who died in Banda jail in 2024.Principal secretary, Vidhan Sabha, Pradeep Dubey, in an order issued Monday evening said Abbas membership was deemed restored as the high court had suspended his conviction. The order said the cancellation of his membership stood “ineffective” under article 191 of the Constitution, read with section 8 of the Representation of People’s act, 1951. Abbas was disqualified as MLA in May this year after a special court in Mau sentenced him to two years imprisonment for a hate speech. He was found guilty under Section 153-A (promoting enmity between groups), Section 189 (threat to public servant), Section 506 (criminal intimidation) and 171F (undue influence during elections) of the Indian Penal Code. He was also fined Rs 2,000. His election agent, Mansopor Ansari, who was also present on the stage during the speech, was also sentenced to six months jail.Abbas moved the appellate court, which dismissed his challenge on July 5. He subsequently approached the Allahabad high court which quashed the conviction.The Supreme Court had granted interim bail to Abbas Ansari in Mar this year in a case under the Gangsters Act. The controversy arose after Abbas delivered a speech during the 2022 assembly elections, allegedly warning the govt officials of the consequences if Samajwadi Party came to office. SBSP was an ally of the SP during the 2022 assembly polls though it later joined the BJP govt.“I have told SP chief Akhilesh Yadav that after (SP) govt formation no transfer or posting of bureaucrats will be done for six months. First there will be a `hisab-kitab’ (scores will be settled), only then will transfer take place,” he is reported to have said.Following restoration of Ansari’s membership, the strength of SBSP will increase to six again. Abbas is again the lone Muslim MLA in the BJP-led NDA camp in UP. SBSP chief OP Rajbhar is a minister in the Yogi cabinet.
