Do you know which article of the constitution deals with the powers, privileges, and immunities of the house of the parliament and its members and committees? If you don’t then this article is what you should read. Through this, you will know the answer to the question just asked. Furthermore, you will gather knowledge about the privilege motion and the committee. Therefore, make sure that you read the article thoroughly. Now, without any future ado let’s start reading.
The Power Of Privilege Motion & Committee In The Parliament Of India
Let’s read the points below to under the purpose behind the privilege motion and the role of the privilege committee.
- All Members of Parliament (MPs) enjoy privileges and immunities, separately and collectively, so that they can effectively discharge their responsibilities and roles.
- Article 105 of the Constitution of India deals with the powers, privileges, and immunities of the houses of the Indian parliament and its members and committees.
- The motion is pushed by a member when he/she senses that a minister or any member has perpetrated a breach of privilege of the house or one or more of its members by withholding facts or by giving wrong or misinterpreted facts.
- One can witness the mention of the privilege motion in the 20th chapter of rule 22 for Lok Sabha and chapter 16 rule 187 for the Rajya Sabha.
- The regulations clarify that any member of either House may, with the approval of the Speaker or the Chairperson, can raise an inquiry involving a happening that he or she believes is a breach of privilege by either a member of the House or a committee.
- The note, however, has to be concerning a current happening and should need the intervention of the House. These statements have to be introduced before 10 am to the Speaker or the Chairperson of the House.
- The Lok Sabha’s speaker Om Birla and the Rajya Sabha’s chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu are the first levels of scrutiny of a privilege motion in the two Houses of Parliament.
- They can either make a judgment or can also direct the motion to the privileges committee of Parliament. Once the Speaker or the Chairperson gives permission under Rule 222, the concerned member is permitted to clarify.
- The Lok Sabha’s speaker selects a committee of privileges consisting of 15 members of parliament from each party.
- The declaration formulated by the committee is presented to the House for its review.
- The Speaker may also allow a half-hour discussion on the report by the committee before handing orders or demanding that the report be tabled before the House.
- A resolution is passed. The current BJP leader and New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi is the chairperson of the privilege committee of Lok Sabha.
- In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson Dr. (Shrimati) Najma Heptulla heads the committee of privileges, which consists of 10 members.
- In the past years, most of the privilege motions handed to Parliament have been rejected. Penal actions have been advanced only in a few, so far.
- Among the most consequential privilege motions handed was in 1978 against Indira Gandhi and she was expelled. The then Home Minister Charan Singh had pushed a resolution of breach of privilege against her on the ground of statements made by the Justice Shah Commission, which examined the overmuch during the Emergency.
Do read and understand the purpose behind the motion of thanks in the Parliament of India.
We hope the article was interesting and could bring you all the information about the privilege motion.