 "Suspended Opposition MPs protest during the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Monday | Photo: pti")
From limited access to the Parliament, to no longer getting a daily allowance — these are some of the restrictions imposed on the 141 MPs who were suspended from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for “unruly behaviour” over the last week.
A day after 49 more Opposition members were suspended from the lower House, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a circular on Tuesday, December 19, outlining the measures being taken to limit the suspended MPs’ participation in Parliamentary activities.
Lok Sabha Secretariat issues circular for the suspended MPs barring them from entering the Parliament chamber, lobby and galleries. pic.twitter.com/R8nPO8AWVV
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2023
According to the Lok Sabha Secretariat’s latest circular, the MPs are prohibited from entering the Parliament chamber, lobby, and galleries for the duration of their suspension.
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"They stand suspended from sittings of Parliamentary Committees of which they may be a member. No item is put down in the list of business in their name," read the Lok Sabha circular.
“No notice tabled by them is acceptable during the period of their suspension. They cannot vote at elections to committees held during the period of their suspension,” it added.
The circular also addressed financial implications for the suspended MPs, stating, "They are not entitled to the daily allowance for the period of suspension if suspended from the service of the House for the remainder of the session."
This clause clarified that their stay at the place of duty could not be regarded as a residence on duty, under section 2(d) of the Salary, Allowances, and Pensions of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, as amended from time to time.
Why were 141 Opposition MPs suspended from Parliament?
In an unprecedented move, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha collectively suspended 141 MPs, 95 from the Lok Sabha and 46 from the Rajya Sabha till at least the remainder of the ongoing Winter Session, deepening the crisis in the Parliament where some crucial bills were tabled, briefly discussed, and passed.
The bone of contention remained the Opposition’s demand that Union Home Minister Amit Shah speak in the Parliament and that a discussion be held on the December 13 security breach, in which two individuals broke into the Lok Sabha and set off smoke cannisters on the floor of the House.
Nationwide protest on December 22
Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced that a nationwide protest will be held on December 22 against the suspension.
"We have taken several decisions, one is on the suspended MPs. We will fight against this; this is wrong... We have united to fight against this. We have decided to hold an all-India protest against the suspension of MPs on December 22," Kharge said on Tuesday.
After being suspended, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the Opposition has to start writing “obituaries for Parliamentary democracy in India”.
“It is clear that they want an Opposition-mukt Lok Sabha and they will do something similar in Rajya Sabha. At this point, unfortunately, we have to start writing obituaries for Parliamentary democracy in India…Today, in solidarity with my colleagues, I too joined the protest and everybody who was present has been suspended for the rest of the session which means they want to pass their Bills without any discussion,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
On the MPs suspension, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal accused the government of “wanting to make the new Parliament a graveyard of democracy".
“I have no words. What did they think before constructing this new Parliament building? They want to make this the graveyard of democracy…You have thrown out the entire Opposition. No action has been taken against the MP who issued passes (to the security breach accused)," Badal added.
