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Despite court directions, AAP leader Sanjay Singh not called for oath ceremony

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, who was recently elected to Rajya Sabha for a second term, because of four cases of breach of privilege pending before the upper house privileges committee, was denied summons to take oath, sources in Vice President’s office said.

These cases pertain to Singh’s previous tenure. He was suspended on July 24, 2023, and on August 11 the house passed a motion continuing his suspension till the Privileges committee submits its findings.  

On Monday, Singh did come to Parliament, as was directed by the Special Judge M.K. Nagpal, who in his order on Saturday while extending Singh’s judicial custody till February 17, directed the jail superintendent concerned to ensure that he is taken to Parliament on Monday by 10:00 a.m. under adequate security to be sworn in, under the condition that he will not be permitted to address the press.

Singh’s wife, according to the sources, had phoned the Opposition leaders, requesting them to be present in the house, in solidarity with her husband, expecting him to come.

The Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s office, when asked on why the oath was not administered, said, “Summons [for taking oath] were not issued to Mr. Sanjay Singh who had also been elected, as he suffered the directives of the House passes on August 11, 2023, disentitling him from participating in the proceedings of the House till the House takes decision on the report of the committee of privileges as and when presented to it. The fact that this matter pertains to his previous term has no impact on this directive.”

The delay in the oath taking ceremony raised several eyebrows. “Our friend Mr. Sanjay Singh was deprived of taking oath today after being elected as MP for the second time and despite the court’s instructions. This is the new parliamentary paradigm of the so-called Amrit Kaal,” Rashtriya Janata Dal MP and senior leader Manoj K. Jha said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Speaking in this context, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha party leader Derek O’ Brien said, “Parliament has become deep dark chamber.”