Panel to review leave pleas of absent MPs: Centre tells HC
CHANDIGARH: The Union Government today informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that a 15-member committee, headed by West Tripura MP Biplab Kumar Deb, has been constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to examine leave applications of all absent Members of Parliament, including Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh.
During the resumed hearing of Amritpal’s petition, Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain, accompanied by advocate Dheeraj Jain, told a Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel that the committee, formed on Monday, would review the cases of all such MPs.
Taking the Central Government’s statement on record, the high court adjourned the matter to 4 March. Meanwhile, Amritpal’s counsel, R S Bains, could not appear before the court and sought time for arguments.
In his petition, Amritpal has sought permission to attend parliamentary sessions, arguing that his prolonged absence violates his constitutional rights and leaves his constituency unrepresented. He has also pointed out that an absence exceeding 60 days could result in his seat being declared vacant.
He submitted that he had requested permission from the Lok Sabha Speaker on 30 November last year to attend the parliamentary session and was informed that he had already been absent from sittings for 46 days. Despite representations to the Deputy Commissioner, he has not received a response, prompting him to seek judicial intervention.
Singh has further requested authorisation to meet officials and ministers regarding the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) to address local development projects.
Amritpal Singh, chief of Waris Punjab De, has been lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam under the National Security Act since 23 April 2023.