The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly today suspended five MLAs for the rest of the current year, for assaulting a police officer in the Vidhan Bhavan premises yesterday.
A resolution to this effect moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Patil, was adopted by the House by voice vote.
Those suspended for their involvement in the incident are: Ram Kadam (MNS), Jaykumar Rawal (BJP), Kshitij Thakur (Bahujan Vikas Agadhi), Rajan Salvi (Shiv Sena) and Pradeep Jaiswal (Independent).
Making the announcement in the House, Patil said the MLAs' action was "serious and lowered the dignity of the august House".
During the course of their suspension till December 31, 2013 the MLAs will not only be barred from participating in the proceedings, but will also not be allowed to enter the legislature premises in Mumbai and Nagpur.
Sachin Suryavanshi, an Assistant Police Inspector attached to the Worli police station was beaten by a group of MLAs outside the visitors gallery at Vidhan Bhavan, the state's legislature complex, after he allegedly made some "provocative" gestures.
Suryavanshi had stopped the vehicle of Kshitij Thakur, a Bahujan Vikas Agadhi MLA, on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link on Monday when Thakur was on way to attend the Assembly session and slapped a fine for over speeding.
