Delhi Court Allows Jailed MP Engineer Rashid To Vote In Vice-Presidential Election

Engineer Rashid

Engineer Rashid, the Lok Sabha member representing Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, has filed a plea in a Delhi court seeking permission to cast his vote in the upcoming Vice-Presidential election on September 9.

Previous Parole Allowed Parliamentary Attendance

Earlier this year, Rashid was granted temporary parole from July 24 to August 4 to attend the monsoon session of Parliament, allowing him to perform his legislative duties despite being in custody.

The 58-year-old MP has been held in Tihar Jail since 2019 following his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He was implicated in a case involving alleged terror funding activities dating back to 2017.

Rashid gained significant political attention when he defeated former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but he remains embroiled in serious allegations.

Allegations & Charges

According to the NIA’s investigation, Rashid’s name emerged during the questioning of Zahoor Watali, a businessman and co-accused in the case.

Following the probe, the NIA submitted a chargesheet in October 2019, and by March 2022, a special court framed multiple charges against him.

These include:

Criminal conspiracy under Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code
Waging war against the government under Section 121
Sedition under Section 124A

Alongside these, he faces serious accusations related to terrorism and terror funding under the UAPA.

Awaiting Court Decision On Voting Rights

The Delhi court’s upcoming ruling will decide if Rashid, despite his incarceration, will be allowed to exercise his electoral right in the Vice-Presidential election.