Cash-for-Query Queue: Meet the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee and its 15 members

Dubey called on the Lok Sabha Speaker to take necessary actions in response to the issue.

Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra has sought adjournment for her appearance before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee. She was originally summoned to appear on October 31 to discuss allegations related to the Cash-for-Query scandal.

Earlier on Friday, the Ethics Committee sought Mahua Moitra’s login details and location details from IT and Home Affairs in connection with the cash allegations against the TMC MP. NDTV has reported.

The Ethics Committee was constituted on March 4, 1997 by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha with the aim of overseeing and ensuring the moral and ethical conduct of its members. “His role is to review cases referred to him in connection with ethical and other misconduct of members,” the Rajya Sabha official website said.

Also read: Cash-for-query row: Mahua Moitra will appear before the ethics committee on October 31

Members of the ethics committee

The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee is headed by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar and comprises Vishnu Datt Sharma, Sumedhanand Saraswati, Aparajita Sarangi, Rajdeep Roy, Sunita Duggal and Subhash Bhamre of the BJP; Ve Vaithilingam, N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Preneet Kaur of the Congress; Balashowry Vallabbhaneni (YSRCP); Hemant Godse (Shiv Sena); Giridhari Yadav (JD-U); PR Natarajan (CPI-M); and Kunwar Danish Ali (BSP).

The members of the Ethics Committee are appointed by the speaker for a period of one year.

Functions of the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee

According to a report from The Indian Expressany individual can file a complaint against a Member of Parliament (MP) through another Lok Sabha Member of Parliament. This complaint must include supporting evidence of the alleged misconduct and an affidavit certifying that the complaint is not “false, frivolous or vexatious.”

Also read: Mahua Moitra will not appear before Parliament panel for ‘cash-for-query’ hearing: here’s why

Meanwhile, the committee shall investigate any complaint regarding unethical conduct of a member of Lok Sabha referred to it by the Speaker and make such recommendations as it deems appropriate.

If, after a preliminary investigation, there is no prima facie case, the case may be dismissed.

The committee submits its report to the Speaker, who then asks the House’s opinion on whether the report should be debated. There is also room for a 30-minute discussion about the report.

(With input from agencies)

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Updated: Oct 28, 2023 10:57 IST