The union cabinet Wednesday decided to withdraw the controversial ordinance and the bill to protect convicted lawmakers, days after open criticism by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.
The cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, took the decision to withdraw the ordinance in a 20 minute sitting.
"The union cabinet met today and it was unanimously decided that both the ordinance, with regard to certain sections of the Representation of Peoples Act, as well as the bill would be withdrawn," Union Minister Manish Tewari told reporters after the meeting.
