Speaker welcomes SC's verdict on right of Parliament

Kolkata, Jan 10(UNI) Hailing the Supreme Court verdict on the right of Parliament to expel members of misconduct, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today said this protected the dignity of the country's supreme legislative body.

"I am happy that the decision taken by Parliament. The verdict has protected the dignity of the supreme legislative body of the country," he said.

The Supreme Court verdict made it clear that corruption or improper behaviour is unbecoming of a Parliamentarian and should not be tolerated and that Parliament has the right to take action, he said.

Sealing the fate of ten Lok Sabha members and two from Rajya Sabha in the cash-for-query scam, the Supreme Court today held that Parliament has the power to expel a sitting member for misconduct as also for acts which lower its dignity.

Delivering a majority judgement, a five-member consitutition Bench, however, held that the final interpreter of the validity of the act of Parliament was the apex court and it had the power to judicially examine and resume the actions of Parliament.

The Speaker said the decision to expel the MPs showed that such behaviour was not acceptable even to their parliamentary colleagues.

UNI