Decision to expel ten MPs was unanimous: LS secretariat

New Delhi, Sep 14 (UNI) The Lok Sabha Secretariat today clarified that the decision to expel ten MPs caught in the 'cash-for-query' scam was a unanimous nne of the House and not that of the Speaker alone.

Reacting to the reports about the case heard by the Supreme Court yesterday, the Secretariat said the mere fact that the Speaker presided over the House when the Lok Sabha passed the resolution expelling the MPs could not be construed that the chair had taken the decision.

"There was no occasion for the Speaker to cast his vote as the resolution was passed unanimously," the Secretariat clarified.

The House, the Secretariat said, had taken the decision on the basis of the findings of the Special House Committee which went into the issue. Such being the case, it could not be held that the Presiding officer expelled the MPs, the Secretariat sources said.

The sources also asserted that the Speaker had not challenged the authority of the Supreme Court but he had merely ascertained that the House had powers to decide its own course.

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