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Parliament adjourned sine die ahead of schedule |
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Parliament functioning was affected and sometimes stalled last week because of protests over various issues including the Sethu Samudaram project. Both Houses adjourned sine die on May 17 after nearly a three-month-long budget session. Before adjourning the House, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, expressing concern over passage of legislative and financial business without discussion, said there was no alternative to structured discussion. He said the Lok Sabha lost over 73 hours due to interruptions and forced adjournments.
For effective functioning of Parliamentary democracy, active participation of all sections of the House was of prime importance, he said.
Panel to probe misuse of privileges
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has set up a committee of 11 Lok Sabha MPs to inquire into instances of misconduct and misuse of Parliamentary privileges and facilities by Members. The committee will be headed by V. Kishore Chandra S. Deo. Speaker Chatterjee said Babubhai Katara, facing charges of human trafficking, had been “requested” not to attend sittings of the House unless he was permitted to do so by him.
The Speaker, who met leaders of various parties to discuss the issue, said the members were unanimously of the view that a committee of the Lok Sabha might be constituted to inquire into the instances of misconduct and misuse of privileges. He said the committee would recommend action, if any, to be taken in each case referred to it.
The Committee has been authorised to follow its own procedure, consistent with well-established principles of law and natural justice. The panel has been asked to submit its report “ordinarily within one month of the reference of any matter by the Speaker.”
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