Waris Punjab De head and newly elected Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh is set to take the oath as a Lok Sabha member on July 5 after being granted parole for up to four days starting 5 July 2024, under certain conditions.
According to media reports, Amritpal, who is detained under the National Security Act (NSA) in Dibrugarh jail, Assam, is likely to be airlifted to Delhi. This follows a recent request from the Punjab government to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. In the request, the MP-elect from Khadoor Sahib sought temporary release or parole to take the oath as a Member of Parliament.
On Tuesday, Amritpal’s legal adviser, Imaan Singh Khara, stated that the request from the prominent Sikh leader, who secured a resounding victory in the Lok Sabha elections, was forwarded to the Punjab government via the jail superintendent under Section 15 of the NSA on June 9. The Dibrugarh jail superintendent sent the letter to the Amritsar deputy commissioner, who forwarded it to the state government headquarters, which then urged the Speaker to allow Amritpal to take the oath.
Section 15 of the NSA deals with the temporary release of a detained person for a specified period, either without conditions or upon conditions specified in the direction, which the person accepts. This release can be cancelled at any time.
Rajdev Singh Khalsa, another lawyer of Amritpal Singh who meets him in jail, said, “The Punjab Home Secretary told us that he had forwarded the letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker. Once received, the Speaker can decide about the oath-taking within a 60-day period, starting June 25. According to the procedure, the Speaker takes the advice of the home department before taking a decision.”
Meanwhile, Rashid, who was detained in Tihar Jail in Delhi since 2017 on charges related to terror funding, emerged victorious in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an Independent candidate from Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir. A Delhi court has granted him custody parole for two hours on July 5 so he can take oath as an MP.
On the other hand,12 other MPs-elect from Punjab took oath on June 25. However, Amritpal, elected as an Independent MP from Khadoor Sahib with a significant margin despite minimal campaigning, was absent during the ceremony. Currently incarcerated since his arrest in April 2023, efforts are underway by the Punjab government to facilitate his oath-taking, pending approval from the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
The state government’s initiative has brought hope to Amritpal’s family and constituents. Additionally, buoyed by his victory, three of his associates, also detained under the NSA, have announced plans to contest upcoming Assembly by-polls in Barnala, Gidderbaha, and Dera Baba Nanak constituencies.