Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader in the Lower House Abhishek Banerjee has asked the Lok Sabha Secretariat, urging it not to include the rebel MPs of the party who have joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
Every year, during this time, all committees are reshuffled by the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha chairman. some lawmakers are shifted to other panels depending on vacancies, retirement or after a lawmaker is elevated as a minister While most of the members retain their positions. “The Speaker and the Chairman allots membership of standing committees based on recommendations from the parties.
“According to a standard practice, the Lok Sabha secretariat had written to Banerjee to nominate members for the 24 standing committees. Banerjee had asked the secretariat not to include the 20 rebels as disqualification proceedings are going on against them”, a senior TMC official said. In June, at least 20 Lok Sabha lawmakers of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress proposed to join NCPI strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The request, however, is unlikely to be adhered to, as an MP is entitled to become a member of a standing committee and a consultative committee, according to the House rules. It is an ambitious effort as all MPs are entitled to membership in standing committees and consultative committees, according to Lok Sabha officials. If a party fails to nominate its elected members, the Speaker will take his own decision,” said a functionary.
