Behind the walls of Tihar Jail sits an elected Member of Parliament, Engineer Rashid, and outside those walls lies a ₹1.45 lakh-a-day bill — the price, he says, authorities have slapped on his daily trip to Parliament.
In a fresh plea to the Delhi High Court, Rashid claims jail officials informed him he must cough up the hefty sum for each commute between prison and Parliament — a condition not clearly defined in the Court’s earlier ruling. The Court had granted him permission to attend parliamentary sessions, but said the travel costs would be on him — without specifying how steep the tab might be.
Now, Rashid wants that condition scrapped entirely.
Speaking through his legal counsel before Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, Rashid’s team argued that democracy shouldn’t be pay-per-view. “He’s not asking for a discount. He’s asking to remove a barrier,” his lawyer said, pointing out that Rashid had previously attended sessions without such a condition.
And this isn’t just about money, his lawyer added. It’s about the people of Baramulla — a constituency that could go silent in Parliament if its MP is priced out of participation. “Last time, the public crowdfunded his travel. But tomorrow, there might be no funds. Does that mean Baramulla loses its voice?”
The Court has agreed to list the matter for hearing.
Rashid, jailed since 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with a terror funding case, made headlines in 2024 when he defeated Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by over two lakh votes to clinch the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat.
His subsequent plea to attend Parliament was granted by the High Court on March 26 — but with strings attached. One of those strings is now turning into a financial noose.
Democracy may be priceless — but for one MP, showing up to do the job might just come with a daily invoice.