ETHICS COMMITTEE - POLITY

News: Sparks fly at Ethics committee meet to hear complaint against Mahua Moitra

 

What's in the news?

       The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha has summoned Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra for defending herself in face of the cash-for-query charges levelled against her by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey.

 

Ethics Committee in Parliament:

       The genesis of formation of the Ethics Committee in Parliament can be traced to a resolution adopted at the Presiding Officers Conference held in New Delhi in October, 1996.

       Each house of the parliament has its own ethics committee.

 

Ethics committee in Lok Sabha:

       It was first constituted in 2000.

 

Composition:

       It consists of not more than fifteen members and nominated by the Speaker.

Term:

       They shall hold office for a term not exceeding one year.

 

Ethics committee in Rajya Sabha:

       It was constituted in 1997.

 

Composition:

       It consists of 10 members nominated by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha.

 

Term:

       They shall hold office for a term not exceeding one year.

 

Functions:

       To oversee the moral and ethical conduct of the Members

       To examine the cases referred to with reference to ethical and other misconduct of the Members.

       Any person or member may make a complaint relating to unethical conduct of a member to the committee.

       In the case of the Ethics Committee only an MP can be examined for misconduct.