Chandigarh:- MP Amritpal Singh, who was detained under the National Security Act and lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail, told the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday that all work in his parliamentary constituency has come to a standstill. Due to his detention, major public issues — floods, drugs and alleged fake encounters — could not be raised in Parliament. Appearing before a bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Beri via video conferencing, Amritpal chose to address the court himself in view of the lawyers being away from work.
He said that detention under the NSA has completely halted the work of his parliamentary constituency. The Khadoor Sahib MP further said that he had sought conditional bail to raise the issues, but it has not been granted yet. Amritpal maintained that the issue is not limited to him alone, but concerns his constituents, whose parliamentary voice must be heard.
Amritpal Singh, dressed in a white kurta and a blue turban, spoke in both English and Punjabi. The MP made it clear that he intends to participate in Parliament and play his constitutional role by raising important issues affecting his constituency.
He told the bench, “In the democratic system of India, an elected representative has the right to raise issues before Parliament. But the NSA imposed on me has been extended for its third year... All these issues need to be raised in Parliament.”
The bench expressed its willingness to hear Amritpal on the matter but made it clear that he would have to say unconditionally that he would not seek adjournment of the matter to allow his lawyer to argue later. Amritpal accepted this condition.
The bench took cognizance of the fact that senior advocate Anupam Gupta, appearing for the state, could not complete his arguments on the previous date of hearing and it was necessary to hear him further. In these circumstances, the matter was adjourned and further hearing has been directed at 2 pm after lunch.