NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said on Friday that the expulsion of 10 members found guilty in the "cash-for-questions" scam was "non-justiciable" as the votes given by MPs "cannot be questioned in any judicial proceedings."

Making a statement in the House on the petitions against the expulsions pending in the Supreme Court, he informed members of his decision not to accept or respond to court notices.

"I decided that the [Lok Sabha] Secretariat would not accept any such notice, far less respond to the same, as in my view the issue was and is non-justiciable, as, inter alia, votes given by members cannot be questioned in any judicial proceedings."

He gave a detailed account of all that had transpired in this regard since the winter session — when the 10 members were expelled after being held guilty by an inquiry committee set up by the House.

Referring to the all-party meeting convened by him on January 20 to discuss issues relating to and arising out of the court proceedings, Mr. Chatterjee said his position was "unanimously endorsed" by the leaders of all political parties. He placed on record the position taken by Deputy Leader of the BJP V.K. Malhotra, who was of the view that "this position" should be communicated to the court through a lawyer. Thereafter, Mr. Chatterjee said, the stance taken by him and the Rajya Sabha Chairman drew unanimous endorsement from the presiding officers of the State.

Five asked to stay away

Mr.Chatterjee asked five members, caught on camera misusing the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds, to stay away from House proceedings and meetings of all Parliamentary committees till a further decision is taken.

This direction came from the Chair in view of the extension given to the inquiry committee set up by the House on December 20 to look into the disclosures of the second sting operation to rock Parliament during the winter session.

The first was the "cash-for-questions" scam, which resulted in the expulsion of 10 Lok Sabha MPs and one Rajya Sabha MP.

Making a statement after question hour, Mr. Chatterjee said the committee was to have submitted its report by January 31, but its new chairman V. Kishore Chandra S. Deo had sought time till March 17.

Mr. Deo was appointed chairman on January 27 after his predecessor Pawan Kumar Bansal resigned from the post and membership of the committee. Since the earlier schedule afforded him only four days to present the report, Mr. Deo sought an extension.

In view of the extension given, Mr. Chatterjee said the question of whether the MPs should be allowed to attend House sittings was discussed at a meeting of party leaders on Wednesday. "The inquiry committee is having its next sitting on Friday. Therefore, until a further decision is taken, I request the concerned members, in relation to whose conduct the enquiry is being held, not to attend the session of the House or the meeting of any Committee."

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