Supreme Court Halts Lok Sabha Privilege Committee Action Against West Bengal Officials
The Supreme Court’s interim order in Writ Petition (Civil) No.116/2024, dated 19-02-2024, encapsulates a significant legal principle: the balance between parliamentary privileges and the constitutional rights of individuals. This decision, staying proceedings of the Lok Sabha privilege committee against West Bengal officials, underlines the judiciary’s role in safeguarding constitutional rights against potential overreach by parliamentary powers.
The petition by West Bengal officials, including the Chief Secretary and DGP/IGP, challenges Office Memoranda dated 15 February 2024, which demanded their presence before the Committee of Privileges. This legal battle is rooted in allegations of mistreatment by BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar against Bengal police. The central issue hinges on the extent to which parliamentary privileges can impinge upon the fundamental rights of state officials, especially in non-parliamentary contexts.
The bench, headed by the Chief Justice, took cognizance of the sensitive balance between legislative privileges and constitutional safeguards. Represented by Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the petitioners argued against the applicability of parliamentary privileges in scenarios beyond the parliament’s functions. The Court’s interim order reflects a profound judicial scrutiny over the potential conflict between parliamentary authority and individual rights, emphasizing the need for constitutional harmony.
The Supreme Court’s decision to stay further proceedings, as per the Office Memoranda, marks a critical intervention in preserving constitutional rights against possible legislative overreach. The stay, effective until the case’s next listing on 22 March 2024, temporarily halts the Lok Sabha committee’s actions, ensuring a deeper judicial examination of the involved privileges and rights.
Next Date 22 March 2024
BHAGWATI PRASAD GOPALIKA & ORS. versus LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT (PRIVILEGES AND ETHICS BRANCH) & ORS.”
