Unruly MPs must face disciplinary action: Expert

With the just concluded winter session of Parliament, especially the Rajya Sabha witnessing frequent disruptions, a noted Constitutional expert today called for strict disciplinary action against unruly MPs.
"If Presiding Officers go by the rule book and take disciplinary action against agitating Parliamentarians, then everything would get sorted out because no MP would want his daily allowances to be cut," Subhash Kashyap, former Secretary General of the Lok Sabha said here.
Speaking at a symposium on 'Parliamentary Democracy: The challenges of Negative Politics' organised by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, a charity organisation, Kashyap noted that he failed to understand why Presiding Officers did not use this power and instead preferred to adjourn the House after every uproar.

"If they start doing so (acting as per the rule book), then on the basis of my past experience, I can tell you that acrimony and unruly behaviour would stop immediately," he said.
An amendment in the Representation of People's Act is required to facilitate smooth functioning of Parliament by ensuring that elected MPs rise above vote-bank politics, said the well-known expert in Constitutional laws.
"Right now, 70 per cent of the elected representatives are elected by minority of votes (more against than in favour of them) and when they land in Parliament, politics of vote- bank overpowers their mindset. This leads to frequent pandemonium in Parliament," he said.

Referring to the logjam in Rajya Sabha, which led to a near complete washout of winter session that ended last week, he said, "In functioning of Parliament, minority (Opposition) must have a say, but majority (treasury benches) must have its own way. But now there is a role reversal."

The former member of the National Commission to Review the Working of Constitution said the government can't give up its responsibility to run Parliament in an orderly manner.
"The present government should develop political skill to get Parliament to function," he said, adding that today there was tremendous disconnect between government, Parliamentarians and people, which was posing challenges to politics.

Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, a key functionary in Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini and national Vice-President of BJP, said Congress currently appeared in disarray and "aimless".
"Most of the political parties, including Congress, are dynastic or family driven. Today Congress is facing crisis as it appears aimless," he said.