NEW DELHI: Parties across the political spectrum on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court judgment upholding Parliament's right to regulate the conduct of its members and take action against those found guilty of misconduct.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee told The Hindu over telephone from Kolkata that the judgment put an end to all kinds of questions whether Parliament was competent to put an early end to the five-year tenure of an MP.

"This is a message for all legislators ...MPs have to be role models; their conduct should be exemplary... it is now clear that MPs cannot misuse their position," he said.

At the same time, Mr. Chatterjee was not in agreement with the court's position that Parliament's decisions on the conduct of its members were subject to judicial review.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which had reservations about the December 2005 expulsion of the MPs caught on camera in the cash-for-questions sting operation, said the judgment "closed" the issue.

Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said the court had made it clear that it would be governed by the Constitution in letter and in spirit. The court had also clarified that Parliament had the right to take decisions on the conduct of its members.

Asked whether the party favoured criminal proceedings against the MPs expelled from both Houses, Ms. Natarajan said the Congress would take a view on the issue after studying the judgment in detail. The BJP is also yet to take a view on the subject.

The Left parties had favoured expulsion from the start of the scandal. On Wednesday, D. Raja of the Communist Party of India said the court's decision finally closed the chapter on expulsions. This should have a "positive impact" on the behaviour of members of legislatures.

The verdict proved that Parliament was supreme as it represented the will of the people and upheld democratic governance. The entire episode and the way it ended would make legislators more accountable.

The BJP was virtually the only party that had reservations about the expulsion of MPs, with its leaders saying the punishment was too harsh. Party leader V.K. Malhotra, member of the Bansal Committee set up to look into the allegations, and recommend action, submitted a "dissent note" against the expulsion recommendation.

When the Lok Sabha voted on a resolution favouring expulsion, Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani led a walk-out before the vote was taken, saying he did not want the BJP to be associated with the expulsion. However, on Wednesday, party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad welcomed the court's order saying the matter had now "concluded."

Mr. Prasad said he did not think the party would give ticket to expelled MPs. On their expulsion from the BJP, he said the party would take "an appropriate decision."

Some parties announced the expulsion of their MPs soon after the scandal broke.

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