Rajya Sabha suspended three more MPs on Thursday for a week taking the total number of suspended MPs to 23. Experienced politicians point out that suspending such a large number of MPs is unheard in the history of parliamentary democracy. On Monday, AAP’s Sushil Kumar Gupta and Sandeep Kumar Pathak and independent MP from Assam Ajit Kumar Bhuyan were suspended for holding placards. Sources in the Rajya Sabha secretariat said it was for the first time that a provision in the rule book was used to suspend MPs holding placards.
The House adopted a motion moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan to suspend the three MPs. Earlier, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh named the three members for holding placards. The motion was then passed by a voice vote. When some Opposition members demanded division on the motion, Harivansh denied and said a division will be allowed only if the protesting members go back to their seats from the well of the House.
