CPI(M)’s Brittas moves privilege motion against Law Minister
- July 24, 2021
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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CPI(M)’s Brittas moves privilege motion against Law Minister
Subject : Polity
Context : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MP John Brittas moved a privilege motion against the Law Minister Kiren Rijiju for a misleading reply to a question raised by him on the filling up of vacancies in the High Courts.
Concept :
Privilege Motion
- It is concerned with the breach of parliamentary privileges by a minister.
Breach of Privileges
- Parliamentary Privileges are certain rights and immunities enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that they can “effectively discharge their functions”.
- When any of these rights and immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament.
- A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege.
Role of the Speaker/Rajya Sabha (RS) Chair
- The Speaker/RS chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion.
- The Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament. If the Speaker/Chair gives consent under relevant rules, the member concerned is given an opportunity to make a short statement.
Rules governing Privilege
- Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book and correspondingly Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook governs privilege.
- Rules say that a member may, with the consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or a committee thereof.