On Tuesday, Congress MP Manish Tewari submitted an Adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha, urging for a discussion on the issue of “freedom of speech” in Parliament. The notice stated that the House should suspend Zero Hour and other businesses of the day to have a discussion on the essence, substance, and spirit of freedom of speech accorded to Members of Parliament under Article 105 of the Constitution.
Article 105 of the Constitution of India deals with the powers and privileges of the Houses of Parliament and their members and committees. The notice emphasized that there shall be freedom of speech in Parliament, subject to the Constitutional text and rules made by Parliament itself.
The Adjournment motion notice further highlighted that recent public discussions involving eminent constitutional functionaries have questioned the contours of the right to free expression of Members of Parliament guaranteed under the Constitution. Such inquiries may potentially restrict the right to freedom of speech of Members of Parliament, which is expressly protected by the Constitutional text.
Manish Tewari also submitted a similar notice on Friday, urging for a discussion on the essence, substance, and spirit of freedom of speech accorded to Members of Parliament under Article 105 of the Constitution. The issue is critical to the functioning of parliamentary democracy in the country, and the notice requests the House’s business to be adjourned to discuss the matter.