Punjab Government Denies Parole to Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh

The Punjab Government has refused to grant parole to Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, who is currently detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and lodged in Dibrugarh Jail, Assam, to attend the upcoming winter session of Parliament from December 1 to 19.

According to sources in the Secretariat, the state government’s decision was based on reports from the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner and the district police chief, citing concerns over potential law and order issues if the release were allowed.

Amritpal Singh had invoked Section 15 of the NSA, which allows the competent authority to grant parole in exceptional circumstances, and filed a plea with the Punjab and Haryana High Court after approaching the Supreme Court. On November 21, the High Court directed the state government to decide the matter within a week. Subsequently, the Punjab Home Department sought reports from the Amritsar authorities before making its decision.

Accused of promoting a separatist agenda, Amritpal Singh has been in detention since June 2023. In May 2024, he contested the Lok Sabha election from Khadoor Sahib as an independent candidate and won by a margin of around 4 lakh votes. He was granted four-day parole in July 2024 to take his oath as an MP but has not attended any session of the Lok Sabha since then.

Amritpal Singh had urged the High Court to direct the authorities to allow him to fulfill his constitutional duty as a Member of Parliament and sought any other relief deemed appropriate under the “peculiar facts and circumstances” of the case.