Question: Consider the following statements:
(i) It is the role and duty of the Presiding Officer — Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairman of Rajya Sabha — to maintain order so that the House can function smoothly.
(ii) Speaker of the legislative assembly shall vacate his/her office of he/she ceases to be a member of the assembly.
Which of the above are correct?
(a) Only i
(b) Only ii
(c) i and ii
(d) Neither i nor ii
Ans: a
Recent Context
- Recently 12 Rajya Shabha MPs from opposition parties have been suspended by the presiding officer.
- Related Facts
- Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi sought the approval of the House for suspending 12 Rajya Sabha MPs for the remainder of the session.
- The reason for their suspension was “their unprecedented acts of misconduct, contemptuous, unruly and violent behaviour and intentional attacks on security personnel” on the last day of the Monsoon Session.
- WITHDRAWAL AND SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS
- Under Rule 255 (‘Withdrawal of member’) of the General Rules of Procedure of the Rajya Sabha, The Chairman may direct any member whose conduct is in his opinion grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from the Council and any member so ordered to withdraw shall do so forthwith and shall absent himself during the remainder of the day’s meeting.
- Under Rule 256, Suspension of member
(1) The Chairman may, if he deems it necessary, name a member who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the Council by persistently and willfully obstructing the business thereof.
(2) If a member is so named by the Chairman he shall forthwith put the question on a motion being made, no amendment, adjournment or debate being allowed, that the member (naming him) be suspended from the service of the Council for a period not exceeding the remainder of the Session:
Provided that the Council may, at any time, on. a motion being made, resolve that such suspension be terminated.
(3) A member suspended under this rule shall forthwith quit the precincts of the Council.
By kameshwar Shukla
Reference:
https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/rs_rule/generalrulesproc.asp