A day before the commencement of the Budget session, the government announced the revocation of the suspension of all Members of Parliament, including those whose cases are before the Privilege Committee. Pralhad Joshi, speaking after the customary all-party meeting, stated that he had discussed this with the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman and had made the request on behalf of the government.
The Budget session, the last for the 17th Lok Sabha, is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and conclude on February 9. The decision to lift suspensions comes after the suspension of 146 MPs during the previous session, with most of them facing suspension only for the session, while some had matters referred to the Privilege Committee.
On December 14, 14 opposition MPs were suspended for 'unruly conduct' after demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on a security breach incident. The suspension was based on a violation of a new Parliament rule prohibiting placards. Subsequently, on December 18, 78 more MPs were suspended, followed by another 49 on December 19. Two more Lok Sabha MPs were suspended on December 20, and three more the following day before Parliament adjourned sine die.
Pralhad Joshi clarified that the jurisdiction to revoke suspensions lies with the Speaker and the Chairman, and both have agreed to speak with the concerned privileged committees to facilitate the revocation. He assured that all suspended MPs will be back in the House starting Wednesday.
In a separate development, the government conveyed its readiness to discuss all issues during the upcoming Budget session. Representatives of the government, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, met with floor leaders from various parties. Congress, TMC, DMK, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, JD(U), and TDP were among the parties represented at the meeting.
During the discussions, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari raised concerns about the "violent attack" on the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi in Assam and criticized what he described as an "unwritten dictatorship" in the country. The session is set to begin with President Droupadi Murmu's address to a joint sitting of both Houses, and it will be a brief session, taking place from January 31 to February 9, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expected to present an interim budget ahead of the Lok Sabha.
(With Agency Inputs)
ALSO READ | Interim Budget 2024 Initiates with Finance Minister's Halwa Ceremony at North Block
