Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday was unable to hear the parole plea of Lok Sabha member Amritpal Singh, pushing the matter closer to the end of the ongoing winter session of Parliament. With lawyers continuing their abstention from court work, the Bench adjourned the case to December 18, leaving little time for any relief before the session is scheduled to conclude on December 19.
The urgency surrounding the petition was evident during the proceedings. Chief Justice Sheel Nagu repeatedly called out for counsel representing the parties, but no advocate appeared in court. At one point, the Chief Justice remarked that the delay could make the plea meaningless if the parliamentary session ends before a decision is reached. The Bench, however, noted that there remains a possibility — though uncertain — that the session could be extended.
The court also recorded that the Punjab government’s arguments against granting parole had already been presented in detail. Senior advocate Anupam Gupta, appearing for the state, had addressed the Bench at length over nearly two days while opposing Amritpal Singh’s request.
Given the time-sensitive nature of the issue, Amritpal Singh was permitted to address the court directly via video conference on December 16. The Khadoor Sahib MP has been detained under the National Security Act since April 2023 and is currently lodged at Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam.
During his virtual appearance, Amritpal told the court that his prolonged detention had effectively stalled work in his constituency. He argued that being held under the NSA had prevented him from performing his role in Parliament, including raising issues such as flood management, drug abuse and alleged staged encounters.
“This is not just about my personal liberty,” he told the Bench. “It is about the people who elected me. Their voice in Parliament is absent.”
Emphasising the constitutional role of an elected representative, Amritpal said his request for parole was limited in scope and aimed solely at allowing him to attend Parliament and fulfill his duties.
The matter is now listed for December 18, a day before the winter session is set to end, as the MP remains incarcerated hundreds of kilometres away from the national capital.
