High Court Rejects Punjab MP Amritpal’s Request for Temporary Release to Attend Parliament The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday rejected the plea of Amritpal Singh, a jailed Lok Sabha MP from Khadoor Sahib, seeking temporary release to attend the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament. The court emphasized that national security and public order take precedence over the personal and political rights of an elected representative, dismissing the petition as secondary to the state’s security concerns. Amritpal, currently detained in Assam’s Dibrugarh central jail under a preventive detention order issued by Punjab’s Department of Home Affairs, had sought temporary release to participate in the second phase of Parliament’s budget session, which began on 9 March and is set to conclude on 2 April. The 33-year-old self-styled preacher and open supporter of Khalistan argued that his presence in the session was critical to address issues affecting his constituency, including the aftermath of the August 2025 floods and the prevalence of drug abuse in Punjab. The court’s 11-page judgment, authored by a bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry, stated that the right to liberty of an individual is “rendered subservient and inconsequential” when it conflicts with the maintenance of public order and state security. The judges reiterated that the sovereignty, integrity, and security of the state and nation are always paramount. Amritpal’s legal team, represented by senior advocates R.S. Bains, Imaan S. Khara, and Anmol Singh, contended that his continued detention was politically motivated and aimed at silencing his voice as an elected representative.#punjab_and_haryana_high_court #amritpal_singh #khadoor_sahib #dibrugarh_central_jail #punjab_department_of_home_affairs
HC raps HSSC for opaque department allocation process The Punjab and Haryana High Court has criticized the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) for its "opaque and arbitrary" method of allocating government departments to selected candidates. In a detailed ruling, Justice Harpreet Singh Brar stated that the commission’s practice of prioritizing candidates based on the number of preferences they listed, rather than their merit rankings, violated constitutional principles of equality and fairness. The court emphasized that the current system constitutes a clear case of misconduct and directed the Haryana chief secretary to investigate the conduct of HSSC members and office-bearers. The court highlighted that the HSSC adopted a resolution in October 2019, which gave preference to candidates who submitted three or fewer preferences. However, this criterion was never disclosed to applicants, depriving them of the opportunity to make informed choices. The court noted that the concealment of such a critical factor undermines transparency and fairness in the recruitment process. It further ordered the chief secretaries of Haryana and Punjab to issue clear instructions ensuring that future department allocations follow lawful, comprehensive, and rational criteria to maintain transparency and integrity in public employment. The ruling underscores the importance of accountability in administrative processes and aims to prevent similar issues in the future. The court’s directive to review the conduct of HSSC officials reflects its commitment to upholding constitutional values and ensuring equitable treatment for all candidates.#haryana #haryana_staff_selection_commission #punjab_and_haryana_high_court #justice_harpreet_singh_brar #haryana_chief_secretary
