Row over Raghav Chadha’s suspension: SC seeks Rajya Sabha secretariat's reply on AAP MP's petition

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday agreed to examine the plea of AAP leader Raghav Chadha challenging his indefinite suspension from the Rajya Sabha and sought the assistance of the attorney general in adjudicating the issue.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi and lawyer Shadan Farasat, representing Chadha, that the suspension cannot extend beyond the particular session during which the decision to suspend the member was made.

The top court issued the notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat only on the plea which will be heard on October 30.

Besides the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Chadha had made the chairperson of the House and the privileges committee the parties to his petition.

Dwivedi said he was not seeking any interim relief in the petition at the moment.

The Rajya Sabha had passed a motion moved by the Leader of the House Piyush Goyal on August 11 seeking action against the AAP leader for including the names of some members of the Upper House without their consent in a proposed select committee for considering the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Chadha was suspended on the last day of the Monsoon session for "gross violation of rules, misconduct, defiant attitude and contemptuous conduct", pending a report by the privileges committee.