AAP’s Sanjay Singh Cannot Take Oath as Rajya Sabha MP on Feb 8-9; Know Why

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 7th Feb. After a Delhi Court’s decision allowing AAP leader Sanjay Singh to attend Parliament in police custody and take oath as a Rajya Sabha MP for the second time, it has been disclosed that Singh will not be able to take the oath on February 8 and 9 due to pending procedural steps, sources confirmed on Tuesday.

According to the sources, certain prerequisites must be fulfilled before Sanjay Singh can officially take the oath as a Rajya Sabha MP.

“On August 11, 2023, the Upper House passed an order suspending Sanjay Singh until the Privilege Committee submits its report and the House makes a decision based on it. However, the Privileges Committee has yet to finalize its report, and even the scheduling of its meeting remains pending. Once the committee submits its report to the Rajya Sabha, the House will proceed to decide on Sanjay Singh’s suspension,” a source explained. “In the event that the suspension is revoked, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat will issue summons to Sanjay Singh to attend and take the oath. However, no such summons have been issued to him yet. Following this, he will be administered the oath of office as a Rajya Sabha member,” the source added.

With none of the aforementioned procedural steps completed, it is untenable for Sanjay Singh to take the oath on February 8-9, as speculated by certain media outlets, the sources clarified.

Special Judge MK Nagpal, while permitting Sanjay Singh’s application, highlighted that on February 3, the court had instructed the jail authorities to escort the ‘accused’ to the Rajya Sabha under judicial custody for the administration of the oath as a member of the Upper House. However, it was revealed that although he was escorted to the Rajya Sabha, the oath could not be administered to him due to certain reasons. Consequently, the court directed him to be escorted to the Rajya Sabha again on February 8 and February 9.

Singh’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-defunct Delhi excise policy has attracted significant attention. He stands accused of involvement in the acquisition, possession, concealment, dissipation, and utilization of proceeds of crime derived from the Delhi Liquor Scam during the 2021-22 policy period, as per the ED.