The Bhagwant Maan-led Aam Aadmi Government (AAP) has declined jailed Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh’s application for temporary release to attend the Budget session of Parliament, citing “serious threat to the security of the state and the maintenance of public order”.
The orders issued by the State Home Department are based on feedback from the senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Amritsar Rural. The SSP, in his feedback, termed Amritpal’s release as a “serious threat and prejudice to the security of the state and maintenance of public order.”
Notably, the Punjab and Haryana High Court last month had directed the Punjab government to decide within seven working days on Amritpal’s representation seeking a temporary release to attend the Budget session.
Amritpal Singh’s counsel, Imaan Singh Khara, said they received the reply from the State Government on the application of the Khadoor Sahib MP in February.
The Budget session commenced on January 28 and will continue till February 13 in the first phase. The second phase will take place from March 9 to April 2. A February 2 order of the additional chief secretary cited comments of Amritsar Rural senior superintendent of police and a letter of the Amritsar district magistrate noted, “Both the said officers have opposed the temporary release of Amritpal Singh for the purpose of attending the Budget session of Parliament in view of serious threat/prejudice to the security of the state and maintenance of public order.”
The order also cited a ruling of the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, which “held that a member of Parliament in detention has no constitutional right to attend session of Parliament and can claim no special status higher than that of an ordinary citizen”.
“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 twelve months (w.e.f. 23.04.2025) in the interest of the security of the state and the maintenance of public order; and the absence of any legally enforceable right to attend the session of Parliament while in detention, Amritpal Singh’s application/representation dated 17.01 .2026 for temporary release under Section 15 of the National Security Act, 1980, for attending the budget session of Parliament commencing from 28.01.2026, is hereby declined,” the order further added.
The order also cited a ruling of the Supreme Court, including the landmark ruling in K. Anandan Nambiar vs Chief Secretary, Government of Madras (1966), which “held that a member of Parliament in detention has no constitutional right to attend session(s) of Parliament and can claim no special status higher than that of an ordinary citizen”. This legal position was reaffirmed in the Indira Nehru Gandhi vs Raj Narain case.
On January 23, the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu disposed of the writ petition, with a direction to the home secretary, the Department of Home Affairs and Justice, and the Punjab government to decide the petitioner’s application within 7 working days.
According to the plea, Amritpal Singh wanted to highlight various matters, including the 2025 Punjab floods, the rise of drug abuse, and the developmental issues of his Khadoor Sahib constituency in Parliament. Notably, on November 24, 2025, the Punjab govt, on similar grounds, declined his application to attend the winter session of Parliament after the Punjab and Haryana high court, while hearing Amritpal’s plea for parole to attend the session, directed the Punjab govt on Nov 21, 2025, to decide on his application within a week.
According to an earlier reply given few days back by Punjab’s additional chief secretary (home) Alok Shekhar, ‘Waris Punjab De’ head Amritpal Singh was actively engaged in mobilising armed supporters and propagating extremist ideology that had the potential to destabilise peace in Punjab. The govt said his conduct could not be treated as a routine law-and-order issue and warranted extraordinary preventive measures.
Notably, on November 24, 2025, the Punjab govt, on similar grounds, declined his application to attend the winter session of Parliament after the Punjab and Haryana high court, while hearing Amritpal’s plea for parole to attend the session, directed the Punjab govt on Nov 21, 2025, to decide on his application within a week.
Amritpal Singh is currently under preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA). The Bench, during the course of the hearing, was told that he had been in custody since March 23, 2023.
Amritpal, the chief of the Waris Punjab De group who styled himself after Khalistani extremist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was arrested in Moga’s Rode village on April 23, 2023, following a manhunt of over a month.
The Khalistani sympathiser escaped the police net in Jalandhar district on March 18, 2023, switching vehicles and changing appearances.
The Punjab Police had launched the crackdown after the February 23, 2023, Ajnala incident in which Amritpal Singh and his supporters with swords and guns, allegedly broke through barricades and barged into a police station on the outskirts of Amritsar city, and clashed with police for the release of his aides.
