Expunging of Proceedings in the Indian Parliament

Context: 

Portions of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speech delivered in Lok Sabha have been expunged or removed from the records of Parliament by the orders of the Speaker.

• Expunged portions of the proceedings cease to exist in the records of Parliament, and they can no longer be reported by media houses, even though they may have been heard during the live telecast of the proceedings.

Expunging of Proceedings in the Indian Parliament:

• Article 105(2) of the Indian Constitution: MPs are immune from legal proceedings for anything said in Parliament. 
  • The speech of MPs is subject to the discipline of the Rules of Parliament, “good sense” of its Members, and the control of proceedings by the Speaker. 
• Rule 380 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha: It says that, 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: It 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 as follows: ‘Expunged as ordered by the Chair’.”

What are Unparliamentary Expressions?

• A large number of words, both in English and Indian languages, have been deemed unparliamentary by the Presiding Officers (the Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairperson of Rajya Sabha) over the years. 
• These unparliamentary expressions are kept out of the parliamentary records. 
• The Lok Sabha Secretariat has compiled a comprehensive list of unparliamentary expressions, including words and phrases considered rude, offensive, or inappropriate in most cultures. 
• The list is regularly updated based on rulings by the Presiding Officers.

Decision-Making Process for Expunging:

• The decision to expunge a word or portion of a speech is made by the Speaker. 
• If an MP uses a word that could be considered unparliamentary or indecent, the head of the reporting section of Parliament submits the issue to the Speaker with relevant rules and precedents, along with a recommendation for expunging. 
• The Speaker has discretion under Rule 380 to expunge the word or usage and, upon doing so, the reporting section removes the word from the records and mentions in the proceedings that it was expunged as ordered by the Chair.

Conclusion

The practice of expunging unparliamentary expressions from the records of Parliament serves to maintain the decorum and dignity of the House while also allowing MPs the freedom to speak their minds within the confines of parliamentary rules and guidelines. 

News Source: The Indian Express