High Court told no provision for virtual participation in Lok Sabha amid Amritpal Singh parole plea

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday heard a petition related to Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh seeking permission to participate in the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament. During the proceedings, the court was informed that the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha do not contain any provision allowing a Member of Parliament to attend or participate in House proceedings through virtual means.

The submission was made as part of arguments concerning Singh’s request for relief that would enable him to take part in parliamentary proceedings. The court observed that at this stage, it could not issue any interim direction, noting that granting temporary release would effectively amount to providing the final relief sought in the writ petition.

The Bench emphasized that an order permitting temporary release would go beyond the scope of interim consideration and could pre-empt a full hearing on the merits of the case. After hearing initial submissions, the court granted the Punjab government 10 days to file its response.

The matter has drawn attention in Punjab’s political circles, particularly in Khadoor Sahib constituency, where representation in Parliament during key sessions such as the Union Budget is considered significant for raising regional concerns. The case also touches on procedural questions about parliamentary rules and the limits of judicial intervention in legislative functioning.