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Chandigarh: Detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail, Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh told the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday that all parliamentary work in his constituency had come to a standstill due to his continued detention, preventing him from raising key public issues in Parliament. Appearing before a Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry through videoconferencing, Amritpal chose to address the court in person as lawyers were abstaining from work.
‘Parliamentary Voice of Electorate Being Suppressed’
Amritpal submitted that the extension of his NSA detention—now entering its third year—had paralysed constituency functioning and deprived voters of their democratic voice. “I have sought conditional bail to raise issues concerning floods, drugs and alleged fake encounters on the floor of Parliament, but that has not been granted,” he told the Bench, adding that the matter was not personal, but related to the rights of the electorate he represents.
‘Right of Elected MP to Raise Public Issues’
Dressed in a white kurta and blue turban, Amritpal spoke in a mix of English and Punjabi, stressing that his objective was to discharge his constitutional duty as an elected representative. “In a democratic system, an elected MP has the right to raise issues before Parliament. But because of the NSA imposed on me, these pressing concerns cannot be voiced,” he said.
Court Agrees to Hear Him, Sets Condition
The Bench indicated its willingness to hear Amritpal directly. Still, it clarified that he would have to unequivocally agree not to seek an adjournment because his counsel needed to argue the case. Amritpal accepted the condition.
Matter Adjourned for Further Hearing
The court noted that senior advocate Anupam Gupta, appearing for the Punjab government, had been unable to complete his arguments at the previous hearing and needed to be heard further. In view of this, the Bench adjourned the matter and directed it to be taken up again at 2 pm in the post-lunch session for further hearing.
