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National

Observations on SP, TDP members expunged

Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha Secretariat has “expunged” the relevant paragraphs in the Parliamentary Bulletin of Monday that mentioned the names of members of the Samajwadi Party and the Telugu Desam Party for “violating rules” by entering the well of the House and shouting slogans to register their protest.

A bulletin issued on Wednesday evening said: “In view of the submission made by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs [Priyaranjan Dasmunsi], and the regret expressed by Amar Singh, Samajwadi Party, in the House, which were accepted by the Chairman [Hamid Ansari], as also the consensus arrived at [in] the meeting of the Leaders of political parties convened in the chamber of the Chairman, the observations contained…in Parliamentary Bulletin dated March 3, 2008, stands expunged.”

The expunction came after an all-party meeting of the floor leaders in the Chairman’s chamber.

It was largely felt at the meeting that since the members had not been warned that they would be named in the bulletin and in view of the regrets expressed by Mr. Singh, the observation should be expunged.

On Wednesday, the United National Progressive Alliance members had alleged being “targeted” as their names had appeared in the bulletin. The Samajwadi Party is also peeved at a complaint made against them by some members of the House.

On February 2, seven members of the Rajya Sabha gave notice for breach of privilege that they could not “have the privilege of seeking replies” from the government by raising supplementaries to their questions as some of the members did not allow the House to run.

“This is infringement of our rights as members of the House,” they said in their complaint referring to the disruption of the House by Samajwadi Party members.

Action sought

Seeking “necessary action,” the complainants said it was their right to seek clarifications from the government.

Among those who gave the notice for breach of privilege are Santosh Bagrodia, J.D. Seelam, Viplove Thakur, Syeda Anwara Taimur and Vijay Darda (all Congress), Manohar Joshi (Shiv Sena) and Supriya Sule (Nationalist Congress Party).

On February 29, the Chairman referred the privilege notice to the Committee of Privileges under Rule 203 of the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in the Rajya Sabha for “investigation and report.”

Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha K. Rahman Khan heads the Privileges Committee.

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