Eleven suspended MPs of the Rajya Sabha are said to have been reinstated after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Tuesday that all suspensions will be revoked
Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar revoked on Tuesday the suspension of 11 Opposition MPs who were held guilty of breach of privilege by House panel, a news agency PTI report cited sources. The Opposition MPs were suspended during the Winter Session of Parliament for disrupting House proceedings over their demand for a debate on the December 13 Parliament breach.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi earlier on Tuesday said that the suspension of Opposition MPs in both Houses will be revoked ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament, commencing on January 31, Wednesday.
He, however, had said that this is the jurisdiction of the Speaker and the Chairman.
A total 146 Opposition MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were suspended during the Winter Session.
“All [suspensions] will be revoked. I have spoken with the [Lok Sabha] Speaker and [Rajya Sabha] Chairman, I have also requested them on behalf of the government,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told news agency ANI, following an all-party meet ahead of the Budget session. “This is the jurisdiction of the Speaker and the Chairman. So, we have requested both of them to speak with the concerned privileged committees, revoke the suspension and give them the opportunity to come to the House. Both of them agreed.”
During the Winter Session of Parliament last month, 146 MPs faced suspension due to their disruption of proceedings. The MPs had called for a discussion and a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah concerning a security breach that occurred on December 13.
During this incident, two men opened gas canisters inside the lower house chamber, while a man and a woman simultaneously released smoke canisters outside the parliament in the capital, New Delhi. Notably, their visitor’s pass was provided by an MP from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Out of the 146 MPs, 132 faced suspension for the rest of the winter session, and their suspension was lifted when the session concluded. However, the fate of the remaining 14 MPs - 11 from Rajya Sabha and 3 from Lok Sabha - was handed over to the privileges committees of both Houses.
On January 12, the Privileges Committee of Lok Sabha lifted the suspension for 3 Lok Sabha MPs, while today, the suspension for 11 Rajya Sabha MPs was also revoked.
The Opposition claimed the government suspended MPs to pass important bills without any discussion.
The Parliament Budget session is scheduled to occur from January 31 to February 9. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the interim budget for financial year 2025 on February 1.
The interim budget is generally presented by the ruling government in an election year or when there isn't enough time for a full budget. The new government, established after the elections, will be responsible for drafting the entire yearly budget.
This budget is an important event in India's economic calendar as it outlines the government's revenue and expenditure plans for the upcoming financial year.