A Sonbhadra court on Friday sentenced Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ramdular Gond to 25 years in jail for raping a minor girl in 2014. Gond, an MLA from the Duddhi seat in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, now faces the prospect of losing his assembly membership.

According to the Representation of the People Act, a lawmaker sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified “from the date of such conviction” and remain disqualified for another six years after serving time.

A Sonbhadra court on Friday sentenced Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ramdular Gond to 25 years in jail for raping a minor girl in 2014. Gond, an MLA from the Duddhi seat in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, now faces the prospect of losing his assembly membership.

According to the Representation of the People Act, a lawmaker sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified “from the date of such conviction” and remain disqualified for another six years after serving time.

(With inputs from agencies)