SC adjourns hearing on Raghav Chadha’s plea against suspension from Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on a plea filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha against his suspension from the Rajya Sabha.

A bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra asked Chadha’s lawyer to wait till December 8 after Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta apprised the bench that “something constructive is happening” in the matter.

“If your lordships may consider having this matter after the 4th of December, we may not have to trouble your lordships on merits. Something constructive is happening,” SG Mehta said.

Mehta assured that he will take care that Chadha is not dispossessed from the government Type-7 bungalow solely on the ground of suspension from the Rajya Sabha. “On this ground, nothing would happen,” he said.

“Sometimes, it’s good to be calm. Just read between the lines on what the Solicitor General has said,” CJI Chandrachud had told Chadha’s lawyer in an earlier hearing.

Previously, the Supreme Court asked Chadha to meet Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar and tender an unconditional apology for his alleged misconduct in the House. It had said that the apology tendered by the AAP leader will be “sympathetically” considered by the Rajya Sabha Chairperson.

Chadha was suspended in August this year on charges of not taking the consent of five Rajya Sabha MPs before including their names in a select committee.

Chadha has petitioned the Supreme Court challenging his suspension from the Rajya Sabha contending that the Chairman of the House cannot order suspension of a member pending inquiry, particularly, when the Committee on Privileges is already seized of the investigation on the very same issue.

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