New Parliamentary Committee Formed to Review MPs' Leave Requests Following Amritpal Singh's Petition
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Synopsis
The Union government has set up a parliamentary committee to review leave requests from absent MPs, including Amritpal Singh. Led by BJP's Biplab Kumar Deb, the committee aims to address the petition filed by Singh regarding attendance in parliamentary proceedings.
Key Takeaways
- A parliamentary committee of 15 members has been formed to review MPs' leave applications.
- The committee is headed by BJP member Biplab Kumar Deb.
- Amritpal Singh, currently jailed, has filed a petition regarding his attendance in Parliament.
- The High Court has adjourned the matter to next week.
- Singh is a prominent Sikh figure with a significant electoral victory.
Chandigarh, Feb 25 (NationPress) The Union government announced on Tuesday to the Punjab and Haryana High Court that a 15-member parliamentary committee has been established by the Lok Sabha Speaker, headed by BJP member Biplab Kumar Deb, to investigate leave requests from all absent Members of Parliament, including the incarcerated Amritpal Singh, during the current session of Parliament.
During the proceedings regarding Amritpal Singh's petition, Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain informed a bench consisting of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel that the committee, initiated on Monday, will assess the cases of all such MPs.
Following the Centre's statement, the High Court postponed the matter until the following week.
This submission from the Centre was a response to Amritpal Singh's request to the High Court, urging directives for both the Union and Punjab governments, alongside other respondents, to facilitate his attendance at parliamentary sessions in compliance with summons from the Lok Sabha General Secretary.
However, Amritpal Singh's legal representative, R.S. Bains, was unable to attend the hearing and requested additional time for arguments.
In a preceding hearing, the High Court had inquired whether the committee responsible for granting leave to MPs had been formed.
The Sikh radical Amritpal Singh is currently detained in an Assam prison under the National Security Act.
In his inaugural electoral battle, Amritpal Singh, leader of 'Waris Punjab De', secured the Khadoor Sahib seat with a remarkable margin of 197,120 votes, surpassing his closest competitor, Congress candidate Kulbir Singh Zira. To his supporters, Amritpal Singh represents a new generation of Sikh separatist figures reminiscent of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who died during the Indian Army's Operation Blue Star in 1984. He regards the late separatist as a source of inspiration.
The vocal pro-Khalistan preacher had been disseminating separatist messages through speeches prior to his incarceration. Under surveillance by Central investigating agencies, he has been likened to Bhindranwale due to physical resemblance and his choice of a navy blue turban, a white chola, and a sword-sized kirpan. Nevertheless, in contrast to Bhindranwale, Amritpal Singh lacks formal religious education. He dropped out of a polytechnic institution and altered his appearance while in Dubai. Police records indicate that Amritpal Singh, married to UK-based NRI Kirandeep Kaur in 2023, has been implicated in numerous disputes, kidnappings, and threats.
Originating from Jallupur Khera in the Amritsar district, Amritpal Singh gained notoriety only after returning to India from Dubai in September 2022, where he had been managing his family’s transport business since 2012. Upon assuming leadership of 'Waris Punjab De', which translates to 'heirs of Punjab', he sought to establish himself as a pivotal figure for the panthic cause, urging the youth to 'fight for the freedom' of the Panth. 'Waris Punjab De' was founded by lawyer-actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu in 2021, who was one of the accused in the Red Fort violence and tragically passed away in a road accident near Sonepat, Haryana in February 2022.
