New Delhi [India]: The Rajya Sabha privilege committee meeting was held today to review the ‘breach of privilege’ case of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha.
The meeting was held in in the Committee Room, Parliament House Annexe Extension Building.
According to the sources, the committee sought a report from Raghav Chadha by November 7.
The committee is scheduled to meet again on November 8, sources aded.
The Supreme Court had on Monday expressed concern over the indefinite suspension of Raghav Chadha and its impact on the right of the people to be represented while calling the exclusion of a member of the political opposition from the house a “serious matter”.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also questioned whether the Privileges Committee could issue such an order to indefinitely suspend an MP.
The bench remarked, “Such kind of indefinite suspension will have ramifications for the people whose constituency is going unrepresented? Where is the power of the privilege committee to indefinitely suspend the member?”
The bench said the exclusion of a member of the political opposition from the House was a serious matter.
“Members should have verified the consent of the other members to be part of the select committee but is this a breach of privilege? The exclusion of members of the opposition from the House is a serious matter. He is a representative of a voice that is different from 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,” the apex court said.
Raghav Chadha moved the top court to challenge his indefinite suspension from Rajya Sabha. He was suspended from the Upper House for “breach of privilege”.
The MP was accused of not obtaining the consent of five Rajya Sabha MPs before including their names in a proposed select committee on the Delhi Services Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
The bill was later passed by the House. Chadha had called his suspension “patently illegal” and without the authority of the law.
