‘Unparliamentary’ words: Who decides them and what happens if MP uses any?
Many opposition parties' MPs say the BJP government is trying to suppress their voice of them against it in the parliament.
New Delhi: The debate over the newly declared unparliamentary words does not seem to end anytime soon. Many opposition parties’ MPs say the BJP government is trying to suppress their voice of them against it in the parliament. The opposition also dubbed the order a ”gag order”.
The new booklet consisting of the unparliamentary words was released on July 14 by the government. The words include such as ‘abused’, ‘ashamed’, ‘betrayed’, ‘corrupt’, ‘drama’, ‘hypocrisy’, ‘Shakuni’, ‘dictatorial’, ‘taanashah’, ‘tanashahi’, ‘khalistani’ ‘jumlajeevi’ and more.
Who decides the words to be unparliamentary?
Under Rule 380 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha, the authority lies to the Speaker to order the expunction of words and phrases from the Parliament’s records if he finds them ”defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified”.
It is the responsibility of the Presiding Officers, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairperson of the Rajaya Sabha to keep the offensive expressions out of the records.
The rule of ‘expunging’ of words has been brought in the Indian Parliament from its British counterpart.
What happens if MPs use the listed words
It is important to note that the Constitution of India provides immunity to MPs from being arrested. However, members are expected not to use any defamatory, indecent, undignified and unparliamentary words in the house.
However, if any MP uses any words that are defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified, it can be expunged from the proceeding of the House as per the rule of 380.