• As many as 78 opposition MPs were suspended from Parliament on December 18 for defying House rules by showing placards, entering the Well and raising slogans. 

• As many as 33 members were suspended from Lok Sabha followed by Rajya Sabha where 45 leaders were suspended after the Opposition refused to budge on their demand for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah over the breach in Parliament security on December 13, when two protesters jumped into the lower house chamber and opened smoke cans.

• The total number of opposition MPs suspended from both houses rose to 92 since last week on the issue. 

• On December 14, the Lok Sabha suspended 13 members for the remaining part of the Winter Session for waving placards and disrupting proceedings over the Parliament security breach issue. Trinamool member Derek O’Brien was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the Winter Session for unruly behaviour.

• AAP member Sanjay Singh has been suspended as a Rajya Sabha member from July 24.

• Parliament watchers termed the mass suspensions as unprecedented and perhaps for the first time in the history of Parliament.

• In 1989, 63 members of the Lok Sabha were suspended on March 15 for the remaining part of the week over the issue of tabling of the report of the Justice Thakkar Committee that inquired into the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

• In the 15th Lok Sabha, several members of the Congress were suspended from the House over the issue of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

• In 2015, the then Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan suspended 25 Congress members for the next five working days for protesting with placards in the Well of the House.

Rules in Lok Sabha dealing with suspension of Members 

Rule 373

The Speaker in exercise of his/her disciplinary powers may direct any member guilty of disorderly conduct to withdraw from the House. The member so ordered to withdraw is required to do so forthwith and remain absent for the remainder of that day’s sitting.

Rule 374

The Speaker, may, if deems it necessary, name a member who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the House by persistently and wilfully obstructing the business thereof. 

If a member is so named by the Speaker, the Speaker shall, on a motion being made forthwith put the question that the member (naming such member) be suspended from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session:

Provided that the House may, at any time, on a motion being made, resolve that such suspension be terminated.

A member suspended under this rule shall forthwith withdraw from the precincts of the House.

The rule relating to ‘Automatic Suspension’ of a Member

In 2001, during the 13th Lok Sabha, a new rule 374A was recommended by the Rules Committee and agreed to by the House.

Rule 374A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha provides that in the event of grave disorder occasioned by a Member coming into the well of the House or abusing the rules of the House persistently and wilfully obstructing its business by shouting slogans or otherwise, such Member shall, on being named by the Speaker, stand automatically suspended from the service of the House for five consecutive sittings or the remainder of the Session, whichever is less.

Rajya Sabha rules dealing with suspension of Members 

Rule 255

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.

Rule 256

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.

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.

A member suspended under this rule shall forthwith quit the precincts of the Council.

Consequences of the suspension

When a member is suspended from the service of the House, the following consequences arise from their suspension and remain in force during the period of suspension:

i) The member cannot enter the Chamber, the Inner Lobby and Galleries.

ii) The member stands suspended from sittings of Parliamentary Committees of which she/he may be a member. Notices of sittings of Committees held during the period of suspension are not sent to member.

iii) No item is put down in the List of Business in the member’s name.

iv) No notice tabled by the member is acceptable during the period of member’s suspension.

v) Notices tabled by a member prior to suspension from the service of the House are not admitted or included in the List of Business or List of Questions or List of Amendments or List of Motions for reduction of Demands for Grants, etc, during the period of suspension. Questions from such a member which have already appeared in the List of Questions for the sitting held during the period of suspension are removed from those Lists through corrigendum.

vi) The member cannot vote at election to Committee held during the period of suspension.

vii) The member is not entitled to daily allowance if suspended from the service of the House for the remainder of the Session as her/his stay at the place of duty cannot be regarded as “residence on duty” under section 2(d) of Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954. However, if the member is suspended for a specific period during a session, she/he is entitled to daily allowance for each day of residence on duty at Delhi.

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