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Synopsis

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has restored the membership of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh. This decision was prompted by an "unconditional apology" from Singh along with the recommendations of the Committee of Privileges, which, while finding Singh "guilty of breach of privilege," acknowledged that he has already endured "sufficient punishment for the transgression.”

Chairman Dhankhar invoked his authority under Rules 202 and 266 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to revoke Singh's suspension effective June 26, 2024.

Singh's suspension was enacted through a motion moved by Piyush Goyal on July 24 of the preceding year for repeatedly "violating" the directives of the chair. Singh was suspended for the remainder of the monsoon session of 2023. The incident began when the Chairman first named Singh for interrupting the proceedings of the House during the Question Hour. This interruption occurred amid protests by the Opposition, who were demanding a statement from the Prime Minister on the Manipur violence and a detailed discussion on the issue. After the House resumed proceedings following an earlier adjournment, Singh approached the Chairman’s podium to press the opposition's demands. Despite being told by Chairman Dhankhar to resume his seat, Singh continued protesting, leading to the Chairman naming him and subsequently suspending him for the remainder of the session.

In its report, the Committee acknowledged that although Singh’s conduct warranted exemplary punishment, it considered "the entire facts and circumstances of the case" and recommended accepting his apology.

Sharing the news on his X, formerly twitter handle, the AAP leader expressed his gratitude for being able to rejoin the Rajya Sabha after almost a year. He thanked Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and all members of the Privileges Committee for their support.

“After almost a year, I got the permission to enter Parliament. The suspension is over. Heartfelt thanks to Honourable Chairman and Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chairman of the Privilege Committee, and all the Honourable Members,” Singh posted on his social media account X.