‘Unparliamentarily words’ unfit for the House

‘Unparliamentarily words’ unfit for the House

Subject: Polity

What are ‘unparliamentarily words’ unfit for the House, and how are they compiled?

Context: Ahead of the Monsoon Session, a row has erupted over a 50-page compilation of words deemed unfit for use in Parliament

Article 105 in the Constitution of India

Powers, privileges, etc of the Houses of Parliament and of the members and committees thereof

• Subject to the provisions of this constitution and the rules and standing orders regulating the procedure of Parliament, there shall be freedom of speech in Parliament
• No Member of Parliament shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or any vote given by him in Parliament or any committee thereof, and no person shall be so liable in respect of the publication by or under the authority of either House of Parliament of any report, paper, votes or proceedings
• In other respects, the powers, privileges and immunities of each House of Parliament, and of the members and the committees of each House, shall be such as may from time to time be defined by Parliament by law

Whatever an MP says is subject to the discipline of the Rules of Parliament, the “good sense” of Members, and the control of proceedings by the Speaker

These checks ensure that MPs cannot use “defamatory or indecent or undignified or unparliamentary words” inside the House.

• Rule 380 (“Expunction”) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha says: “If the Speaker is of opinion that words have been used in debate which are defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified, the Speaker may, while exercising discretion order that such words be expunged from the proceedings of the House.”
• Rule 381 says: “The portion of the proceedings of the House so expunged shall be marked by asterisks and an explanatory footnote shall be inserted in the proceedings
• Phrases and words both in English and in Indian languages that are considered “unparliamentary”. The Presiding Officers , Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairperson of Rajya Sabha have the job of keeping such words out of Parliament’s records.