AAP leader Sanjay Singh takes oath as Rajya Sabha member

Sanjay Singh of AAP takes oath as Rajya Sabha member after court allows visit to Parliament amid jail term.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on March 19 took oath as member of the Rajya Sabha after a Delhi Court permitted him to visit Parliament.

Mr. Singh who has been in Tihar Jail since October 2023 in connection with a case pertaining to now scrapped Delhi excise policy took oath in the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar who also serves as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha. This is Mr. Singh’s second term as a Rajya Sabha Member from Delhi. Since Parliament is not in session, Mr, Singh’s oath taking ceremony was not conducted in the House.

Special Judge M.K. Nagpal, on March 16, directed the jail superintendent to make adequate security arrangements for Mr. Singh’s visit to the parliament. While travelling to the parliament, Mr Singh was not allowed to use a mobile phone or permitted to speak to anyone nor to address the press or hold any public meeting, the court said. He was however, allowed to meet his family. Sansad TV released a video of the swearing in ceremony.

On February 5 when other new members of the Rajya Sabha were sworn in, Mr. Singh was denied summons to take oath because of four cases of breach of privilege pending before the upper house privileges committee, according to the Rajya Sabha secretariat. 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.