Punjab Government admits facilitating Amritpal's nomination filing in Assam Jail to High Court

Lawyers and supporters of Amritpal Singh, a radical Sikh preacher detained under the National Security Act (NSA), completed documentation for his nomination filing for the June 1 Lok Sabha elections. The process took place during a meeting at Dibrugarh jail in Assam on May 9. His proposer will submit the nomination papers to the Khadoor Sahib returning officer within the next three days.

Challenges and detention background

Amritpal Singh, along with 10 others from his group, has been behind bars since April last year. They were detained following a crackdown on the Waris Punjab De by the Centre and Punjab in March 2023. Amritpal was arrested on April 23, 2023, after evading authorities for almost a month. Last month, the Punjab government re-invoked NSA against all detainees.

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The Punjab government assured the Punjab and Haryana high court that the nomination process for Amritpal Singh is being facilitated in Dibrugarh jail. Punjab deputy advocate general Arjun Sheoran confirmed that the necessary documentation has been completed. Once the documents are submitted, the superintendent of Central Jail, Dibrugarh, will administer the oath to Amritpal Singh as per legal provisions. The oath ceremony is conducted after nominations are filed.

Ensuring smooth nomination filing

During the court hearing of a plea filed by the Waris Punjab De chief, seeking to prevent any obstacles in Amritpal Singh's nomination filing, the Punjab government provided assurance of a smooth process. The completion of documentation and upcoming submission of nomination papers indicate progress despite the challenges posed by Singh's detention.

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Despite being detained under NSA, Amritpal Singh's efforts to contest as an Independent candidate in the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency continue. The legal proceedings and facilitation of his nomination process demonstrate ongoing efforts to ensure his participation in the electoral process.