Jabalpur, Jan 7 (IANS): BJP legislator Prahlad Lodhi, who has been reinstated after being disqualified as MLA, on Monday got a two-week stay on his conviction in a criminal case from the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The state government sought time to argue the matter, Deputy Government Advocate Vishal Yadav, who appeared for the state government, said.

On October 31, 2019, a Bhopal court had sentenced Pawai MLA Lodhi and 12 others to two years in jail for attacking Raipura tehsildar R.K. Verma in August 2014 for seizing a tractor smuggling sand. Assembly Speaker N.P. Prajapati promptly disqualified Lodhi on November 2, 2019.

The Speaker, however, revoked his disqualification after Lodhi petitioned the apex court. This had raised the Congress' hopes to earn a simple majority in the House. However, Lodhi's reinstatement and a Congress MLA's death have undone the advantage. If Lodhi is disqualified after the final court verdict, the balance may tilt in BJP's favour.

On November 6, 2019 the High Court stayed conviction of Lodhi till January 7, 2020 and granted bail to him on a petition for relief. A bench of Justice V.P.S. Chauhan ordered till next date of hearing, the conviction and sentence of the petitioner shall remain stayed, the counsel said.