A Rajya Sabha Committee has proposed putting clear provisions in place for refraining MPs of the Upper House from undermining the constitutional authorities or fellow members through statements made in the House or on public and digital platforms.
The Ethics Committee of the Rajya Sabha has also proposed explicitly mentioning in the code of conduct for MPs that the members “must not misuse” the protection given to them for free speech in Parliamentary proceedings in situations where such speech can harm the reputation of others including fellow members, Ministers or other public figures. “What forms of accountability should be established to support this and should the code of conduct include specific provisions guiding members participating in debates involving sensitive issues,” the Committee asked. “Should the code of conduct explicitly state that members must not misuse the protection afforded to them for free speech in Parliamentary proceedings and if so what types of corrective or disciplinary actions would be appropriate in cases of misuse?” it said.
The Ethics Committee chaired by BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari has asked in its questionnaire whether stricter rules should be introduced to address the use of unparliamentary language during House proceedings. Opposition including the Congress in recent past has been raising in Parliament the issues related to working of Election Commission and its commissioners, even as the government has maintained that MPs cannot discuss the issue of Election Commission of India (ECI) in Parliament. In March 2025, the then Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had directed the Ethics Committee to review the 1998 SB Chavan Committee report on ethics and develop updated guidelines for members, considering recent technological developments and the rise of social media.
