Rs 1.45 lakh daily cost to attend Parliament, Rashid approaches Delhi HC for relief
The Awami Itihaad Party (AIP), led by jailed MP Engineer Rashid, on Thursday said a hearing is scheduled for tomorrow in the Delhi High Court regarding the “exorbitant travel and security charges” being imposed on Rashid for attending the ongoing session of Parliament.
AIP chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi stated, “Engineer Rashid, the elected representative from Baramulla, is being charged over ₹1.45 lakh per day simply to fulfill his constitutional duties in Parliament. These charges are not only unaffordable but also unjustified.”
He further noted, “During his previous interim bail, granted to allow him to campaign and attend Parliament, no such charges were levied. The current imposition appears arbitrary and raises serious questions about equal access to democratic institutions.”
“Due to these excessive financial conditions, Engineer Rashid has been unable to attend the current session of Parliament, effectively silencing the voice of his constituency at a crucial time,” the party said.
The party has approached the Delhi High Court seeking interim relief. Nabi emphasised that the Baramulla constituency, which Rashid represents, includes sensitive areas along the Line of Control (LoC) that were severely affected during Operation Sindoor.
“Being an elected MP, it is his constitutional and moral responsibility to listen to the genuine grievances of those who suffered immense losses during the operation and to work toward their redressal, in order to bring lasting peace, harmony, and prosperity to the region,” said Nabi.
He added that Rashid’s continued absence has created a vacuum in effective redressal mechanisms for public hardships, and the people are now facing the consequences of this democratic deficit.
Inam highlighted that in March, travel expenses for just six days amounted to over ₹8.7 lakh, which was raised through crowdfunding. “Expecting the family to now pay more than ₹17 lakh for 12 days is simply unreasonable. Engineer Rashid is an accused, not a convict. Prisoners transported for court hearings or medical reasons are not subjected to such charges,” he said.
A Delhi court this week granted custody parole to jailed MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, allowing him to attend the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament from July 24 to August 4. However, the court imposed stringent conditions, including that Rashid bear the cost of his travel and security.
J & K