New Delhi, Nov. 9 – The Supreme Court will take up a petition this Monday that challenges the continued detention of Punjab MP Amritpal Singh under the National Security Act (NSA). Singh, who is held in Assam’s high‑security Dibrugarh Central Jail, has been accused of obstructing his ability to perform parliamentary duties and of violating the rights of his constituents.
The case will be heard on Nov. 10 by a bench of justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria. The petition argues that detaining an elected Member of Parliament keeps him from representing voters and breaches his fundamental rights.
Singh, the chief of the militant group ‘Waris Punjab De’, was arrested on March 18, 2023 during a crackdown and then transferred to Dibrugarh jail under NSA provisions. Despite being behind bars, the 31‑year‑old Sikh activist was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Khadoor Sahib seat as an independent candidate, winning by a margin of 197,120 votes over Congress rival Kulbir Singh Zira.
Shortly after his election, Singh received a four‑day parole to take his oath in Parliament. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not oppose the move. His case has sparked comparisons to other jailed leaders who were allowed to take oath, including Engineer Rashid from Jammu and Kashmir.
The NSA detention of Singh and nine aides has been under scrutiny, especially after the jail’s superintendent, Nipen Das, was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Assam Prisons Act for allegedly allowing unauthorized gadgets into the facility. Assam police say those devices gave Singh internet access, enabling him to expand his influence from inside jail. The superintendent of police in Dibrugarh stated that jail rules for NSA detainees prohibit such devices, but the former superintendent violated those provisions.
The Supreme Court’s decision could set a precedent for the rights of detained elected officials and the application of the National Security Act.
Source: ianslive
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