Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to stay the Telangana High Court order that had granted one-week transit anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera. The case is linked to allegations made against Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, regarding multiple passports and undisclosed foreign assets. Sarma said the state government had challenged the jurisdiction of the Telangana High Court, leading to the Supreme Court’s interim stay on the relief granted to Khera. He added that he respects the judicial process and believes the matter should now proceed strictly according to law.
Sarma Questions Jurisdiction and Defends Legal Position
Speaking to the media in Kolkata, Sarma raised concerns over whether the Telangana High Court had the authority to grant transit anticipatory bail in this case. He argued that the accused is not a resident of Telangana and therefore should not have sought relief there. “Let the law take its course,” he said, emphasizing that the Assam government’s legal challenge was based on jurisdictional grounds. The Supreme Court’s stay, he added, reinforces the importance of procedural correctness in such matters, and the case will now move forward under proper judicial scrutiny.
Sharp Exchange With Rahul Gandhi Over Allegations and Transparency
The case stems from allegations made by Pawan Khera in a press conference, which the Sarma family has strongly rejected as false and politically motivated. Responding to comments by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who had demanded an investigation, Sarma launched a counterattack questioning Gandhi’s own transparency. He said that if similar allegations were made against Gandhi, the response would be different, and challenged him to publicly disclose his passport details and international travel history. Sarma stressed that accountability must apply uniformly to all political leaders, regardless of position.
Women’s Reservation Debate and Parliamentary Agenda
Alongside the legal controversy, Sarma also addressed the ongoing national debate on women’s reservation, stating that the proposed amendments are aimed at ensuring meaningful representation for women in politics. He said the initiative, which guarantees 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, should not be politicized. The Centre has called a special three-day Parliament session from April 16 to 18 to discuss changes needed to implement the Women’s Reservation Act earlier than the current timeline, which depends on delimitation after the 2027 Census. The proposed expansion of Lok Sabha seats to 816, with 273 reserved for women, is part of the ongoing legislative discussion.
