Expulsion From Lok Sabha: Mahua Moitra Moves Supreme Court

Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra has approached the Supreme Court on December 11 against her expulsion from Lok Sabha over the “cash-for-query” case. The TMC leader was expelled from Parliament on December 8 after an Ethics Committee”s report accused her of accepting gifts and illegal gratification.

The TMC leader had been accused of receiving cash in exchange for posing questions on behalf of businessman Darshan Hiranandani. Earlier in an interview with The Indian Express, Mahua Moitra admitted that she gave her Parliament login and password details to Darshan Hiranandani. However, Mahua Moitra completely denied taking any cash from the businessman. The Lok Sabha Ethics Panel made an investigation into this matter, and on December 8, the panel submitted its report to the Lok Sabha recommending the expulsion of MP Mahua Moitra.

The ethics panel also recommended an “intense, legal, and institutional” inquiry by the central government in a time-bound manner. The report by the ethics panel called the act of sharing Lok Sabha login credentials by Mahua Moitra with another person ‘unethical conduct’ and ‘contempt of the House’. Notably, the draft report was adopted by a 6:4 majority in the ethics panel. Six members of the panel voted in favour of the report, and four members belonging to opposition parties submitted dissent notes. After the expulsion, the TMC leader alleged that the ethics panel and its report “broke every rule in the book.” Mahua Moitra also equated her expulsion from the Lok Sabha with hanging by a “kangaroo court”.