SC asks AAP MP Raghav Chadha to tender unconditional apology to RS chairperson

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked suspended AAP lawmaker Raghav Chadha to meet Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar and tender an unconditional apology to him over the select committee row, and said the latter may consider it “sympathetically”.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted the submissions of lawyer Shadan Farasat, appearing for the Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, that the first-time and youngest lawmaker from “the house of elders” was willing to apologise to the vice president.

“Lawyer Shadan Farasat says that he (Chadha) is the youngest member in Rajya Sabha. Bearing in mind that he has no intention to affect dignity of the house of which he is a member, Mr Farasat submits that petitioner will seek an appointment with the chairperson (of the Rajya Sabha) so that he may place an unconditional apology which may be considered sympathetically,” the bench noted in its order.

The bench adjourned the hearing on the plea of Chadha, who has challenged his indefinite suspension from the Rajya Sabha, for hearing after Diwali vacation and asked Attorney General R Venkataramani to apprise it of the developments in the matter then.

During the brief hearing, the bench observed that on the last date of hearing, it had said if Chadha was willing to tender an apology, then the chairperson, who is a very distinguished person and a senior constitutional functionary, may take an “objective view”. The attorney general and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta agreed to the suggestion. The bench then sought the views of Chadha’s counsel.

“You have already apologised six times. But would you be willing to seek an appointment with the chairperson and meet the chairperson, tender an apology?” the bench asked.

“He is the youngest member in the house of elders. Of course, he doesn’t mind tendering an apology..,” the counsel for Chadha said, adding the apology will not be in prejudice to his legal submissions raised in the pending plea. Chadha has been under suspension since August 11 after some MPs, a majority from the ruling BJP, accused him of adding their names to a motion without their consent. The motion sought constitution of a select committee to examine the contentious Delhi Services Bill.

It was alleged that the Rajya Sabha MP had moved a motion to refer the Delhi Services Bill to the select committee. He had allegedly named some lawmakers as members of the proposed committee and it was claimed that some of the MPs had not given their consent for it.