An Assam court today issued Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi summons notice to face trial in a criminal defamation case for his remarks against the RSS over temple entry episode in Assam's Barpeta last year.

Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate Sanjoy Hazarika summoned Gandhi on September 21 to face trial under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code.

Earlier on August 2, the court had deferred for today its decision whether to issue summons against the Congress vice president as an "accused" in the criminal defamation case here.

An RSS volunteer Anjan Bora had filed the criminal defamation case against Gandhi in the CJM, Kamrup's court alleging that he had tarnished the organisation's image by saying that he was not allowed by RSS members to enter Barpeta Satra, a 16th century Vaishnavite monastry, in Assam on December 12, 2015.