The Punjab government has rejected the request for temporary release of Khadoor Sahib MP and NSA detainee Amritpal Singh to attend the winter session of Parliament starting from December 1, 2025. The decision was issued by the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department of Punjab in compliance with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Earlier, on November 10, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea filed by Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) MP Amritpal Singh from Punjab’s Khadur Sahib challenging his April 2023 detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
However, a bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and NV Anjaria allowed Amritpal Singh to approach the jurisdictional High Court for the same relief. The Supreme Court requested the High Court to decide on Amritpal’s plea within six weeks, keeping in mind the long detention of Singh.
“We request the High Court to dispose of it (Amritpal’s petition) expeditiously, preferably within six weeks,” the court said.
During the hearing, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Singh, argued that the Waris Punjab De leader has been under house arrest for more than three years. Therefore, the senior lawyer sought the Supreme Court to hear the case, given the long detention of his clients under the NSA. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, representing the Central government, argued that six weeks is short time for the High Court to deal with the matter, as replies will be filed by both the parties.
However, the Supreme Court was of the view that there is a need to proceed expeditiously in habeas corpus petitions where detention is challenged. The Court remarked, “Time is of the utmost importance in matters of habeas corpus and custody.” Thus, the Court allowed Singh to approach the High Court for the same relief. Meanwhile, Amritpal was detained under the NSA after his arrest on April 23, 2023, and is lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam.
After the death of Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu, Amritpal Singh lived in Dubai before returning to Punjab in 2022. After returning, he became the head of Deep Sidhu’s pro-Khalistan organisation, Waris Punjab De. He was arrested from Rode village in Moga when he and his supporters protested at the Ajnala police station on February 23, 2023, and clashed with policemen in an attempt to free one of his associates, who was detained for making inflammatory and pro-Khalistan statements. His detention period has been extended twice, once in April 2024 and the second time in April 2025, as he is scheduled to be detained in 2023. After his detention was extended in April 2025, the pro-Khalistani leader moved the Supreme Court.
