Decision to expel MPs non-justiciable: Speaker

In a far-reaching ruling, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee Friday declared the decision to expel ten members from Parliament for alleged misuse of the MPLAD scheme is "non-justiciable" and he will not accept any notice from the Supreme Court or any other court on the matter.

"I decided that the secretariat will not accept any such notice, far less respond to the same, as in my view the issue was and is non-justiciable," as, inter alia, votes given by members cannot be questioned in any judicial proceeding," he said in the Lok Sabha.

Ten members, who were expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 23 2005 following media reports alleging misuse of MPLAD scheme funds, had filed writ petitions in the Delhi High Court which have since been transferred to the Supreme Court.

The High Court and the Supreme Court reportedly directed that notices be issued to the parties, including the Speaker of Lok Sabha.