In a jolt to former Punjab chief minister and expelled legislator Amarinder Singh, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to allow him to attend the assembly. The budget session is to begin on February 27.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by chief justice KG Balakrishnan declined to grant any interim relief to Singh, expelled last September from the House for alleged involvement in the Amritsar land scam. "We are not inclined to pass any interim order," the bench said, declining the plea to allow Singh to participate in assembly proceedings without the right to vote.

The apex court said the three-judge bench, which referred the matter to the Constitution bench, had already refused to grant interim stay on Singh's expulsion from the assembly. He was expelled for "breach of privilege" after a resolution was passed on a report of a special committee in the land scam. 

Rakesh Bhatnagar/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication