The Union Government has informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has established a 15-member committee, led by West Tripura MP Biplab Kumar Deb, to examine leave applications submitted by Members of Parliament for their absence from House proceedings. They include Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh. During the hearing of Amritpal Singh’s petition on Tuesday, Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain, accompanied by advocate Dheeraj Jain, conveyed to the Bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel that this committee, formed on Monday, will evaluate the cases of all such MPs. The High Court recorded the Centre’s statement and adjourned the matter to March 4. In his petition, Amritpal Singh is seeking permission to participate in parliamentary sessions, arguing that his extended absence infringes upon his constitutional rights and leaves his constituency without representation. He contended that an absence exceeding 60 days could lead to his seat being declared vacant, affecting approximately 1.9 million constituents. Amritpal Singh, detained under the National Security Act, has been held in Dibrugarh Central Jail since April 2023. He said that he submitted a request to the Lok Sabha Speaker on November 30 of the previous year to attend the parliamentary session and was informed that he had already been absent for 46 days. Despite making representations to the Deputy Commissioner, he has not received a response, prompting him to seek judicial intervention.
