Delhi HC hearing today on ‘exorbitant’ travel charges for MP Er Rashid: AIP

Srinagar, Jul 24: Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) on Thursday said a crucial hearing is scheduled for Friday in the Delhi High Court regarding the “exorbitant” travel and security charges being imposed on jailed party president and MP, Er Rashid for attending the ongoing session of Parliament.AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, in a statement, said, “Er Rashid, the elected representative from Baramulla, is being charged over Rs 1.45 lakh per day simply to fulfil 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, the AIP chief has been unable to attend the current session of Parliament, effectively silencing the voice of his constituency at a crucial time.Highlighting the urgency of the issue, the spokesperson said, “We have approached the Delhi High Court seeking interim relief. The Baramulla constituency, which Er Rashid represents, includes sensitive areas along the Line of Control (LoC) that were severely affected during Operation Sindoor. Moreover, 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 to bring lasting peace, harmony and prosperity to the region.””His continued absence has created a vacuum in effective redressal mechanisms for public hardships, and the people are feeling the consequences of this democratic deficit,” he added.Inam revealed how the family had previously managed to cover the travel costs: “In March, travel expenses for just six days amounted to over Rs 8.7 lakh, which was raised through crowdfunding. Expecting the family to now pay more than Rs 17 lakh for 12 days is simply unreasonable,” he said. The spokesperson said Er Rashid is an accused, not a convict. “The double standards are glaring—prisoners transported for court hearings or medical reasons are not subjected to such charges,” he said.