Cash-for-Query Row: Meet Lok Sabha Ethics Committee and its 15 members

Dubey called upon the Lok Sabha speaker to initiate necessary actions in response to this issue.

Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra has requested an extension for her appearance before the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha. She was originally summoned to appear on October 31 to address allegations related to the ‘Cash-for-Query’ scandal.

Earlier on Friday, the Ethics committee asked for Mahua Moitra‘s logins, and location details from IT and Home Ministries in connection with the cash-for-query allegations against the TMC MP, NDTV has reported.

The Ethics Committee was established on March 4, 1997, by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha with the purpose of supervising and ensuring the moral and ethical behaviour of members. “Its role involves reviewing cases referred to it in relation to the ethical and other misconduct of members”, the official website of Rajya Sabha noted.

Also Read: Cash-for-query row: Mahua Moitra to appear before Ethics Committee on Oct 31

Ethics Committee members

The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee is headed by the BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar and includes Vishnu Datt Sharma, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Aparajita Sarangi, Rajdeep Roy, Sunita Duggal, and Subhash Bhamre of the BJP; Ve Vaithilingam, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Preneet Kaur of the Congress; Balashowry Vallabbhaneni (YSRCP); Hemant Godse (Shiv Sena); Giridhari Yadav (JD-U); P R Natarajan (CPI-M); and Kunwar Danish Ali (BSP).

The members of the Ethics Committee are appointed by the speaker for a period of one year.

Functions of Lok Sabha Ethics Committee

According to a report by The Indian Express, any individual can file a complaint against a Member of Parliament (MP) by going through another Lok Sabha MP. This complaint should include supporting evidence of the alleged misconduct and an affidavit confirming that the complaint is not “false, frivolous, or vexatious.”

Also Read: Mahua Moitra won’t appear before Parliament Panel for ‘cash-for-query’ case hearing: Here’s why

Meanwhile, the committee examines every complaint relating to unethical conduct of a member of Lok Sabha referred to it by the Speaker and makes such recommendations as it may deem fit.

After a preliminary inquiry, if there is no prima facie case then, the matter might be dropped.

The Committee submits its report to the Speaker, who then seeks the House’s opinion on whether the report should be deliberated. Additionally, there is a provision for a 30-minute discussion on the report.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Updated: 28 Oct 2023, 10:57 AM IST