Synopsis
On March 12, the Centre notified the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Amritpal Singh, MP from Khadoor Sahib, has been granted a 54-day leave of absence to attend Lok Sabha proceedings, alleviating concerns of potential disqualification due to unauthorized absence.Key Takeaways
- Amritpal Singh granted 54-day leave from Lok Sabha.
- Concern over disqualification due to absence addressed.
- Additional Solicitor-General presented leave approval.
- 15-member committee reviewing all leave applications.
- Amritpal Singh is currently detained under NSA.
Chandigarh, March 12 (NationPress) On Wednesday, the Centre informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Amritpal Singh, the Member of Parliament representing Khadoor Sahib, has been granted a 54-day leave of absence to participate in the ongoing Lok Sabha session.
Currently detained in Assam under the National Security Act (NSA), Singh had approached the court to request permission to attend parliamentary sessions, expressing concerns that a prolonged absence exceeding 60 days could result in his constituency being declared vacant.
During the court proceedings, the Division Bench, consisting of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel, confirmed that Singh's concerns were addressed by a letter from the Lok Sabha Secretariat dated March 11, which granted him the leave. The bench noted, “As the petitioner’s fear regarding disqualification from Parliament due to absence has been alleviated, the relief sought is effectively granted.”
At the resumed hearing, Additional Solicitor-General of India Satya Pal Jain presented the letter approving the 54-day leave of absence to the Bench.
Senior advocate Anupam Gupta represented the state of Punjab, while senior advocate R.S. Bains appeared for Singh.
Bains informed the High Court that Singh had been absent for 54 days, with only six days remaining before his seat could be declared vacant due to unauthorized absence.
Previously, the Union government notified the High Court that a 15-member parliamentary committee, chaired by BJP member Biplab Kumar Deb, had been established by the Lok Sabha Speaker to review leave applications of all absent Members of Parliament, including the imprisoned Amritpal Singh, from the current Parliament session.
The Sikh radical Amritpal Singh is currently incarcerated in an Assam jail under the National Security Act.
In his inaugural electoral battle, Singh, head of 'Waris Punjab De', secured the Khadoor Sahib seat with a margin of 197,120 votes against his closest competitor, Congress candidate Kulbir Singh Zira. Supporters view Amritpal Singh as a next-generation Sikh 'separatist leader,' reminiscent of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed during the Indian Army's Operation Blue Star in 1984. Singh considers the late separatist an “inspiration” for his cause.
The fervent pro-Khalistan preacher had been promoting 'separatist' sentiments through his speeches prior to his incarceration. Central investigative agencies have placed him under scrutiny, drawing comparisons to Bhindranwale due to his appearance, which includes a navy blue turban, a white chola, and a sword-sized kirpan.
However, unlike Bhindranwale, Singh lacks formal religious education. A polytechnic dropout, he had cut his hair and shaved his beard while living in Dubai. Police records indicate that Singh, who wed UK-based NRI Kirandeep Kaur in 2023, has been linked to numerous disputes, kidnappings, and threats.
