Denial of Oath: Rajya Sabha's Sanjay Singh Faces Controversy as Suspension Hampers Parliamentary Duties

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Sanjay Singh, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) who was recently re-elected to the Rajya Sabha, faced a denial of summons to take the oath of office. His suspension, initiated on July 24, 2023, was further extended on August 11, as the House passed a motion to continue the suspension until the Privileges committee submits its findings. This decision followed Singh's arrest and charge-sheeting in the Delhi Excise policy money laundering case.



Despite being under judicial custody, the Rouse Avenue court, on February 3, granted permission for Singh to take the oath. Subsequently, on February 5, he complied with the directive of Special Judge M.K. Nagpal and attended Parliament. The judge, in an order on February 3, extended Singh's judicial custody until February 17, instructing the jail superintendent to ensure his presence at Parliament by 10 am for the swearing-in ceremony, with adequate security measures in place. However, Singh was not allowed to address the press during this period.

Singh's wife reportedly contacted opposition leaders, urging them to display solidarity by being present in the House during this crucial moment.

The delay in administering the oath drew criticism from opposition leaders, with Derek O'Brien from Trinamool Congress stating that Parliament has become a "deep dark chamber." Manoj K. Jha, a senior leader of Rashtriya Janata Dal, expressed concern over the new parliamentary paradigm, highlighting the denial of Singh's oath despite court instructions.

In response to inquiries about why the oath was not administered, the office of Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar explained that summons were not issued to Sanjay Singh due to the House's directives on August 11, 2023, disentitling him from participating until a decision is made on the committee of privileges' report. Opposition leaders emphasized that the denial of the oath may impact Singh's ability to fulfill parliamentary responsibilities and contribute to legislative discussions on behalf of constituents, potentially affecting the balance of power in votes.