AIP Moves Delhi High Court Over ‘Exorbitant’ Charges Imposed on Jailed Kashmir MP for Parliament Attendance

SRINAGAR: The Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) has approached the Delhi High Court seeking relief from what it describes as “exorbitant and arbitrary” travel and security charges imposed on its jailed leader and Member of Parliament, Engineer Rashid, for attending the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

AIP chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi said the matter is listed for hearing on Friday, adding that the party was left with no choice after the Delhi court’s recent parole order made it financially unfeasible for Rashid to fulfil his parliamentary duties.

“Engineer Rashid, the elected MP from Baramulla, is being charged over Rs 1.45 lakh per day to attend Parliament. These charges are not only unaffordable but also unjustified,” said Nabi. “Such conditions effectively silence the democratic voice of Baramulla in Parliament at a time when national attention is crucially required on the issues of the region.”

Rashid, who is currently in Tihar Jail under UAPA charges, was granted custody parole earlier this week to attend the session from July 24 to August 4. However, the court made his attendance conditional upon the payment of full travel and security costs—estimated to exceed Rs 17 lakh for 12 days.

The AIP said it is baffled by the sudden imposition of these costs. “During his previous interim bail to campaign and participate in parliamentary proceedings, no such charges were levied,” Nabi pointed out. “This inconsistency raises serious concerns about equal access to democratic institutions for all elected representatives.”

The party argued that these financial barriers are preventing Rashid from representing a constituency that includes sensitive border areas along the Line of Control (LoC), which were severely affected during Operation Sindoor.

“Constituents in Baramulla, particularly those impacted by recent military operations, are in dire need of effective parliamentary representation. Engineer Rashid’s absence is deepening the democratic deficit,” said Nabi.

He also revealed that the travel expenses for Rashid’s six-day participation in March had amounted to Rs 8.7 lakh, a sum raised through crowdfunding. “Expecting the family to pay even more now is simply unreasonable. Rashid is an undertrial, not a convict. Prisoners taken to court or hospitals are not asked to bear such costs,” he added.

The High Court’s intervention, AIP hopes, will determine whether constitutional representation can be subject to affordability, and whether political participation for jailed but elected MPs is to be made conditional on private funding.

The party says its petition is not just about one man’s access to Parliament, but about ensuring that the democratic will of an entire constituency is not priced out of the system.