The Supreme Court has expressed surprise over the indefinite suspension of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha from the Rajya Sabha. The court pointed out that those obstructing the functioning of the House are usually suspended for a session. The court has instructed Chadha’s lawyers and the Attorney General to submit brief arguments, and a hearing on this matter is scheduled for Friday.
The court has also questioned whether an apology from the MP to the House could lead to the revocation of the suspension.
Raghav Chadha was suspended in August over allegations of proposing his name for the Select Committee without the consent of five MPs. The matter is currently with the Special Privileges Committee of the Parliament.
Chadha’s defense argues that the case does not warrant a breach of parliamentary privileges, and even if it did, the suspension could only be for the duration of that session, according to Rule 256.
During the hearing, the Attorney General, A.R. Venkatramani, argued that the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the Rajya Sabha. He suggested that the court should not hear the matter.
Prior to this, on October 16, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on Chadha’s plea.