Committee of Privileges
Topic: Parliamentary Procedure, Committees and Privileges · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Committee of Privileges is a standing (permanent) committee in each House. It looks into cases of breach of privilege and contempt that the presiding officer sends to it. It hears the facts and recommends what to do. The House itself then decides the punishment, which can be a reprimand (formal scolding), suspension, imprisonment or expulsion. The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members. The Rajya Sabha committee has 10 and is headed by the Deputy Chairman.
Example
Suppose a member gives a privilege motion saying a minister misled the House. If the Speaker consents, the matter goes to the Committee of Privileges. The committee examines it and reports to the House.
Don't confuse with
- Ethics Committee: this oversees members' general conduct and behaviour (Rajya Sabha 1997, Lok Sabha 2000). The Privileges Committee deals with breaches of privilege and contempt.
Related concepts
- Parliamentary privileges
- Individual privileges
- Collective privileges
- Bar on courts inquiring into parliamentary proceedings
- Breach of privilege
- Contempt of the House
- Privilege motion
- Ethics Committee
- Keshav Singh case
- Raja Ram Pal case