Ethics panel approves Mahua Moitra's expulsion; Cong MP in favour

The Lok Sabha Ethics Committee on Thursday recommended the expulsion of TMC MP Mahua Moitra from the House in the "cash-for-query" matter, sources said.

This is perhaps the first time the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha has recommended the expulsion of an MP, a retired Lok Sabha Secretariat official said. The committee, headed by BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar, met here and adopted its report recommending Moitra's expulsion. After the meeting, Sonkar told reporters that six members of the panel supported adoption of the report and four opposed it. 

Four opposition members said the panel's recommendation was "prejudiced" and "incorrect". According to sources, Preneet Kaur, a Congress MP, is believed to have voted in support of the report. Sources said the panel recommended Moitra's expulsion from the Lok Sabha.

Former secretary general of the Lok Sabha PDT Achary said this is perhaps the first time the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has recommendation the expulsion of an MP. In 2005, 11 MPs were expelled from Parliament in another "cash-for-query" case but those expulsions were recommended by the Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee and a Lok Sabha Inquiry Committee.

Achary said the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee report will now be sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The speaker may order that it be published, he said.

During the next session of Parliament, the committee chairman will table the report in the House and thereafter there will be a debate on it, followed by a vote on a government motion for the member's expulsion, Achary said. The committee had earlier heard Moitra, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who filed the complaint against her, and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai.

Based on information shared by Dehadrai, the BJP MP accused Moitra of asking questions in the Lok Sabha to target the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the behest of businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for gifts.

(With Agency inputs)