Punjab Government Rejects Amritpal Singh's Plea for Temporary Release to Attend Parliament Budget Session
In a significant development, the Punjab government has firmly declined the application of Khadoor Sahib Member of Parliament Amritpal Singh for temporary release from jail to participate in the ongoing budget session of Parliament. The decision, announced on Monday, was based on the gravity and enormity of the grounds cited for his detention under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
Background of the Case and Previous Denials
Amritpal Singh, who represents the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency, is currently lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam under the provisions of the NSA. This is not the first time his request for release to attend parliamentary proceedings has been turned down. In a similar move on November 24, 2025, the Punjab government rejected his application to attend the winter session of Parliament. That decision came after the Punjab and Haryana High Court, while hearing Amritpal's plea for parole, directed the state government on November 21, 2025, to decide on his application within a week.
Following the denial, Amritpal challenged the government's decision in court. However, his legal challenge was rendered virtually infructuous due to an abstention from work by lawyers, and the winter session concluded on December 18, 2025, before the matter could be resolved.
Recent Application and Court Directions
Undeterred, Amritpal Singh made another representation on January 17, 2026, seeking temporary release from jail to attend the budget session of Parliament. In his plea before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, it was contended that as an elected MP, it was his obligatory duty to attend the parliamentary session and participate in legislative business. He argued that this was essential to voice the concerns of over 19 lakh constituents from the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary segment and to fulfil his constitutional responsibilities.
Responding to this, the high court on January 23 directed the Punjab Home Secretary to decide on Amritpal's application within a week. Subsequently, the Punjab Home Department issued an order on Monday, declining the application and marking copies to key officials, including the Union Home Secretary, the Parliamentary Affairs Secretary, the Punjab Director General of Police, the Amritsar District Magistrate, Amritpal Singh himself, and his lawyer R S Bains.
Government's Rationale for Denial
The order from the Punjab Home Department stated, "Now, therefore, taking into consideration the entire record and keeping in mind the gravity and enormity of the grounds of detention and Amritpal Singh's conduct as reflected therein, necessitating his continuous and uninterrupted detention for the maximum period of 12 months (with effect from April 23, 2025) in the interest of security of the state and the maintenance of public order, and the absence of any legally enforceable right to attend the session(s) of Parliament while in detention, Amritpal Singh's application/representation dated January 17, 2026, for temporary release under Section 15 of the National Security Act, 1980, for attending the budget session of Parliament commencing from January 28, 2026, is hereby declined."
The order further emphasized that a copy should be communicated immediately to Amritpal Singh via email through the Superintendent of Central Jail, Dibrugarh, Assam, as well as through a special messenger by hand. It also mandated that a copy be provided to his counsel without delay.
Grounds of Detention Under NSA
The Punjab government's decision referenced the original grounds of detention outlined in the order dated April 17, 2025, by the Amritsar District Magistrate. This detention order was executed with effect from April 23, 2025, under the NSA, which allows for preventive detention without trial for up to 12 months in cases deemed a threat to national security or public order.
The authorities have maintained that Amritpal Singh's conduct and the severity of the allegations against him warrant his continued detention, overriding any claims for temporary release to attend parliamentary sessions. This stance highlights the government's priority on state security and public order, even at the cost of an MP's participation in legislative processes.
As the budget session progresses, this denial underscores the ongoing legal and political tensions surrounding Amritpal Singh's detention, with implications for parliamentary representation and national security protocols in India.
