Ethics Committee- Video 50/2

Ethics Committee- The genesis of formation of Ethics Committee in Parliament can be traced to a resolution adopted at the Presiding Officers Conference held in New Delhi in October, 1996 which desired the legislatures to explore the possibility of constituting Ethics Committee. It is in pursuance of this resolution that endeavour for setting up of Ethics Committee in Indian Legislatures began in right earnest. 2- The Ethics Committee, Rajya Sabha, the first such Committee by any legislature in India was constituted by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha on 4 March 1997, to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of the Members and to examine the cases referred to it with reference to ethical and other misconduct of Members. It was provided that in all respects of procedure and other matters, the rules applicable to the Committee of Privileges shall apply to the Ethics Committee with such variations and modifications as the Chairman, Rajya Sabha may, from time to time, make. The Committee was inaugurated by the then Vice-President of India and the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Shri K.R. Narayanan, on 30 May 1997. 3- As regards the Lok Sabha is concerned, the Committee of Privileges during the 11th Lok Sabha constituted a Study Group on 31 January, 1997 for undertaking study of Parliamentary Privileges, Ethics and related matters. The Study Group visited some countries. The Committee also attended the symposium at the Presiding Officers Conference at Shimla on 23 October, 1997 on the subject 'Need for Constitution of the Ethics Committees in Legislatures in India.' However, before the report could be laid at the Table of the House, the 11th Lok Sabha was dissolved on 4 December, 1997. The report was subsequently laid at the Table during the 12th Lok Sabha on 28 March, 1998. The Committee of Privileges in 12th Lok Sabha took up for consideration the follow up action of the above report. However, the 12th Lok Sabha also was dissolved on 26 April, 1999. As a consequence, the recommendation made in the Ethics Related Report could not be taken to a logical conclusion. Again in the 13th Lok Sabha, the un-finished agenda was brought to the notice of the Committee of Privileges. The Committee without any prejudice to the earlier recommendations made in the 11th Lok Sabha, recommended that a separate Ethics Committee be constituted in Lok Sabha. This report was presented to the Speaker on 4 April, 2000 and was laid on the Table on 18 April, 2000. In pursuance thereof, the Speaker 13th Lok Sabha (Late Shri G.M.C. Balayogi) constituted the first Ethics Committee in Lok Sabha on 16 May, 2000 with the following terms of reference namely:- (a) to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of the Members; and (b) to examine the cases referred to it with reference to ethical and other misconduct of the Members. 4- The Committee on Ethics (Thirteenth Lok Sabha) in their First Report, which was laid on the Table of the House on 22 November, 2001 and adopted by the House on 16 May, 2002 inter alia recommended that members should abide by general ethical principles which were laid down in the Report in addition to the provisions of the Rules, Directions and Conventions that have evolved over the years. The Committee also recommended broad parameters vis-a-vis procedure for making ethics complaints as well as norms with regard to financial disclosures and declaration of interests by members. 5- The Committee on Ethics (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) was also governed by the same terms of reference as laid down initially at the time of constitution of the Committee during the Thirteenth Lok Sabha. (Courtesy- Kaul&Shakdher)