Lok Sabha Revokes Suspension of Eight Opposition MPs After Appeal, Calls for ‘Laxman Rekha’ in House Conduct

In a significant development during the ongoing Budget Session, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday revoked with immediate effect the suspension of eight opposition Members of Parliament, who had been barred from proceedings since February 3 over alleged “unruly” conduct. The decision came after senior Congress leader K. Suresh urged the House to reconsider the suspension. Following submissions from multiple opposition members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized the need to maintain decorum, stating that a “Laxman Rekha” must be observed by both treasury and opposition benches to ensure smooth functioning. Speaker Om Birla underscored the importance of discipline within Parliament, reiterating that members must refrain from displaying placards, posters, photographs, or AI-generated images inside the House or within the Parliament complex. Subsequently, Rijiju moved a motion to revoke the suspension of seven Congress MPs and one CPI(M) member, which was passed through a voice vote. The MPs whose suspensions were lifted include Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, C. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Padole, Dean Kuriakose, and S. Venkatesan. The eight MPs had originally been suspended for the entire duration of the Budget Session—scheduled to conclude on April 2—after a resolution passed in the House cited disorderly behaviour. The revocation marks a conciliatory moment in Parliament proceedings, even as both sides acknowledged the need for maintaining parliamentary decorum moving forward.