SC Disposes AAP MP Raghav Chadha’s Plea after Rajya Sabha Suspension Revoked

The Supreme Court on Monday took note of the “supervening” development of the revocation of AAP MP Raghav Chadha’s indefinite suspension from the Rajya Sabha on December 4 and disposed of his plea challenging it.

On December 4, the Rajya Sabha, through a voice vote, adopted the motion presented by BJP member GVL Narasimha Rao to end Chadha’s suspension. Chadha, a member of the upper house from Punjab, had been found guilty by the Privileges Committee of presenting “misleading” facts to the media. Following the withdrawal of his suspension, he was allowed to participate in House proceedings.

When a three-judge bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra considered Chadha’s plea, his counsel Shadan Farasat informed the court that his suspension had been revoked.

“In view of the supervening development, the petition has become infructuous. The petition is disposed of,” the bench noted.

The lawyer thanked the bench for its intervention in the matter.

The top court had previously deferred the hearing on Chadha’s petition on December 1, following Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s indication that “something constructive” was likely to occur soon. Mehta had suggested to the bench that further hearing on the plea might not be necessary.

On November 3, the Supreme Court had advised Chadha to issue an unconditional apology to Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar regarding the select committee row. The court mentioned that Dhankhar might consider the apology “sympathetically.” The bench considered Chadha’s willingness, as expressed by his counsel Farasat, to apologize to Dhankhar.

Chadha had been under suspension since August 11, following accusations by some MPs, mostly from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that he added their names to a motion without their consent. The motion sought the formation of a select committee to examine the contentious Delhi Services Bill. Responding to the complaint, the Rajya Sabha chairman had suspended the AAP leader, pending an inquiry by the Committee of Privileges.