SC says indefinite suspension of Oppn MP is concerning

An indefinite suspension of a member of Parliament, especially from the Opposition, is a matter of “serious concern” for a constitutional court, the Supreme Court observed on Monday, adding that Parliament must have voices different from the ruling dispensation.

- Utkarsh Anand

The court, hearing a petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Raghav Chadha challenging his indefinite suspension from the Rajya Sabha more than two months ago, remarked that ousting an Opposition MP does not only deprive the people of that constituency a representation in the House but also removes a voice distinct from the ruling party.

“He (Chadha) is a member of the Opposition and it’s important to have such voices in Parliament. We must be very careful about excluding members of the Opposition from Parliament. Exclusion of members of the Opposition from the House is a serious matter. He is representative of a voice which is different than the ruling party, and this is a serious concern for the constitutional court,” said a bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud.

Noting that Chadha has remained suspended for 75 days so far, the bench, which also included justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, added: “Parliament must have voices from a different spectrum.”