Lok Sabha: Privileges panel to meet on Jan 12 for suspension issue

NEW DELHI: The Privileges Committee of Lok Sabha will meet next week to examine the issue of the suspension of three Congress members from the House during the Winter Session for unruly behaviour.

The Committee, chaired by BJP member Sunil Kumar Singh, at its meeting on January 12 will record oral evidence of Congress members K Jayakumar, Abdul Khaleque, and Vijayakumar Vijay Vasanth, who were suspended for creating "grave disorder in the House" on December 18.

During the Winter Session of Parliament, 100 Lok Sabha members from the opposition ranks were suspended from the Lower House for unruly behaviour after they brought placards and raised slogans demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue of breach of Parliament security.

While 97 members were suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session, the issue of Singh, Khaleque, and Vijayakumar, who had reached the presiding officer's chair, was referred to the Privileges Committee.

The suspension of the three members will continue till the Committee submits its report to the Lok Sabha Speaker.

In Rajya Sabha also, 46 members were suspended during the Winter Session including 11 members whose case was referred to the Privileges Committee of the Upper House. The Privileges Committee of Rajya Sabha is chaired by Deputy Chairman Harivansh and is yet to convene a meeting to examine the case of suspension of 11 members referred to it.

Opposition members Jebi Mather Hisham, L Hanumanthaiah, Neeraj Dangi, Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, G C Chandrashekhar (all Congress); Binoy Viswam and Sandosh Kumar P. (both CPI), M Mohamed Abdulla (DMK), John Brittas and A A Rahim (both CPI-M) were suspended till the House "has the benefit of the Report of the Committee of Privilege".