Seven Congress MPs suspended from LS for remaining part of budget session for "gross misconduct"

Seven Congress MPs were on Thursday named by the Chair in Lok Sabha and suspended for the remaining part of the budget session for "gross misconduct" in the House.

BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi, who was in the Chair, when the House reassembled at 3 pm, said the Congress members had behaved in a manner that had never happened before and had snatched papers from the podium during the proceedings when the House met at 2 pm.

She named the Congress members.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution to suspend the members from the remaining period of the budget session, which was adopted by the House.

"That this House having taken serious note of gross misconduct of Gaurav Gogoi, TN Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, Benny Behanan, Manickam Tagore, Rajmohan Unnithan, Gurjeet Singh Aujla in utter disregard to the House and authority of the Chair and having been named by Speaker, resolve that be suspended from the service of the House for the remainder of the session," Joshi said.

Lekhi then adjourned the House for the day.

BJP member Rama Devi was in the chair when the House met at 2 pm. Amid protests by the opposition, the House has taken up the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 for consideration and passage. The bill could not be passed amid the pandemonium.

The Lok Sabha has been witnessing continuous protests since it met on Monday at the commencement of the second half of the budget session. The opposition members have been pressing for immediate discussion on Delhi violence. The government has said it is prepared for discussion on March 11 after Holi.

The rules of conduct of business in Lok Sabha state that the Speaker, may if deemed necessary, name a member "who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the House by persistently and wilfully obstructing the business".

The rules state that if a member is named, the Speaker shall on a motion put the question that the member be suspended from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session.

The rules also state that the House may, at any time, on a motion being made, resolve that such suspension be terminated.

A member suspended under this rule shall withdraw from the precincts of the House.