The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated Swati Maliwal, the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The nomination of Swati Maliwal, recognized for her support for women's rights, marks her parliamentary debut.
AAP's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has also decided to field Sanjay Singh and N D Gupta for their respective second terms as members of the upper house, as their current term is expiring on January 27, 2024.
"DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal has been nominated for the first time. The PAC has decided to continue with Sanjay Singh and ND Gupta for their respective second term as Rajya Sabha members," the party said.
Earlier today, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court allowed Singh, arrested in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise scam, to sign forms and documents for his Rajya Sabha renomination.
Special Judge M K Nagpal passed the order on a plea filed by the senior AAP leader seeking direction from the Tihar Jail Superintendent to allow him to sign the documents.
"It is being directed that if the documents are presented by counsel for accused before jail authorities on January 6, 2024, the jail superintendent shall ensure that the signatures of the accused are permitted to be taken on said documents and he is also permitted to meet his Counsel for half-an-hour to discuss the modalities in connection with the filing of the said nomination," the judge said in an order passed on Thursday.
AAP now has 10 members in the upper house, including Raghav Chadha and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh. AAP's strength in Rajya Sabha saw a significant increase after the party's landslide victory in Punjab.