AAP MP Raghav Chadha to apologise to Rajya Sabha chairperson over his indefinite suspension
The Supreme Court, which is hearing his plea challenging his suspension since August 11, asked Jagdeep Dhankar to take sympathetic view of the case.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha on Friday told the Supreme Court that he will apologise to Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankar over his indefinite suspension from Parliament, reported PTI.
Chadha was suspended from the Rajya Sabha on August 11 after a motion moved by Leader of the House Piyush Goyal was passed by a voice vote. The motion was introduced following allegations by five MPs that Chadha proposed to include them in a House panel without their consent in violation of rules.
Chadha had proposed forming a Select Committee to examine the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, that gives the Centre power over the Delhi government. He had included the names of Biju Janata Dal MP Sasmit Patra, Bharatiya Janata Party’s S Phangnon Konyak, Sudhanshu Trivedi and Narhari Amin and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam legislator M Thambidurai.
The Rajya Sabha chairperson had suspended the Aam Aadmi Party MP while an inquiry by the Privileges Committee was pending.
The legislator had moved the Supreme Court after his membership was not restored. He had contended in his plea that suspension for more than 60 days leads to the seat becoming vacant.
On Friday, a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra asked Chadha to meet Dhankar and said that they hoped that the chairperson of the Upper House would take a sympathetic view on the matter, reported PTI.
The Opposition MP said in a tweet that he has sought an appointment with Dhankar.
Pursuant to order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court today where I undertook to meet the Hon’ble Chairman of Rajya Sabha personally, I have sought an appointment from the Hon’ble Chairman for an early meeting in respect of my suspension as a Member of Parliament.
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) November 3, 2023
At the last hearing on Monday, the top court had said that Chadha’s indefinite suspension from Parliament was a cause for serious concern.
The bench had said that the only charge against Chadha was that he did not take the consent of the five MPs before proposing to include them in the select committee. The court asked if this was a breach that warranted his indefinite suspension.
“Exclusion of member of Opposition from the house is a serious matter,” the court had said. “He is representative of a voice which is different than the ruling party and this is an important concern for the constitutional court. Indefinite suspension is a cause of concern and 75 days have gone.”