With reference to the power of the legislature in India to punish for the contempt of the House, consider the following statements: 1. The Parliament or the State Legislature is the exclusive authority to determine whether a particular act constitutes contempt of the House. 2. The House has the authority to punish its own members through suspension or expulsion from the service of the House. 3. Courts are prohibited from inquiring into the proceedings of the House or its committees on procedural grounds. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Parliament, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha & Legislative Procedure — question ID 845
Options
A.
B.
Explanation
All the statements are correct. In India, the Parliament (or State Legislature) is the sole authority to decide whether there has been a breach of privilege or contempt of the House. It can punish its members by suspending or expelling them from the service of the House. Furthermore, courts are barred from inquiring into the validity of any proceedings in Parliament/Legislature on the ground of any alleged irregularity of procedure.