'Thankful', says Raghav Chadha after Rajya Sabha suspension ends

However, the RS Privileges Panel found Chadha guilty of of presenting misleading facts and of adding members' names in proposed select panel without their consent.

New Delhi: The suspension of AAP MP Raghav Chadha from Rajya Sabha ended on Monday, as the House adopted a motion to terminate the punishment after holding him guilty of presenting misleading facts to the media and adding names of MPs in a proposed Select Committee without their consent.

The Privileges Committee report on Chadha was tabled in the Uppper House by CPI(M) MP Elamaram Kareem in the afternoon following which BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao moved a motion ending the suspension considering it "sufficient punishment" for him.

Chadha was suspended from the Upper House on August 11, the last day of Monsoon Session and he had approached the Supreme Court on the matter.

Soon after the House ended his suspension, Chadha participated in the discussion on The Post Office Bill, 2023, which he opposed.

“It was after the Supreme Court's intervention that my suspension was ended. At least for 115 days, I was suspended. During those days, I could not ask your questions inside Parliament and was not able to raise your voice inside the House.

“I am happy that my suspension ended. I am thankful to the Supreme Court and Rajya Sabha chairman for this," he said. The Supreme Court had suggested that Chadha approach the Chairman to end the stalemate.

Just before the motion, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "the committee after deep and thoughtful consideration finds Raghav Chadha guilty of both the charges.

“Charge one is that he intentionally and deliberately presented misleading facts to the media, misinterpreted proceedings of the council, resulting in affront to the authority of Chairman Rajya Sabha and engaged in outrageous defiance of the resolutions of the house and directives of the honourable chairman of the Rajya Sabha,” he said.

He also said Chadha was also found guilty of the charges of adding names of members to the proposed select committee of the House without their consent.

The motion moved by Rao said, “that this house resolves that Shri Raghav Chadha, member, be held guilty of breach of privileges, and the suspension suffered by him so far be taken as sufficient punishment and the house may consider discontinuance of suspension of Shri Raghav Chadha, member, from the service of the Council from this day.”

Later, Dhankhar announced that Chadha can attend the House proceedings from now on.