Supreme Court Extends Stay on Lucknow Trial Proceedings Against Rahul Gandhi to April 22, 2026

Overview

• A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma admitted Gandhi's appeal and said it will hear the matter in detail.
• The interim stay on proceedings before the Lucknow trial court now runs until April 22, 2026.
• The Supreme Court issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant seeking their responses to the appeal.
• The case originates from Udai Shanker Srivastava's defamation complaint alleging derogatory remarks about the Indian Army during Gandhi's December 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra, which prompted the summons.
• Earlier hearings included the bench questioning the basis for Gandhi's '2,000 sq km' claim regarding Chinese occupation, as his counsel invoked Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to allege procedural lapses.