Legislators should be respectful even while dissenting, says SC on RJD MLC’s plea against expulsion

Tue Jan 07 14:52:03 IST 2025: **Supreme Court to Hear Plea Challenging Expulsion of Bihar RJD Legislator**

New Delhi, January 7, 2025 — The Supreme Court of India will hear a plea on January 9 challenging the expulsion of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Sunil Kumar Singh from the Bihar Legislative Council. Singh was expelled for his remarks against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during a heated exchange in the House last February.

The court, while setting the date for the final hearing, expressed disapproval of Singh’s statements. The justices observed that legislators, even while dissenting, must maintain respect. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Singh, argued that freedom of speech within the legislature should have wide latitude, pointing out that other legislators who made similar comments received lesser punishment.

The court questioned Singhvi on the appropriateness of such language within the House, noting the impact of expulsions on the opposition benches. Singhvi acknowledged the inappropriateness of the language but argued that expulsion for such incidents would effectively silence the opposition.

Singh was expelled on July 26, 2024, following a report from the ethics committee. The report cited Singh’s use of slogans against the Chief Minister, mimicking his body language, and questioning the committee’s competence. Another RJD MLC, Mohd Qari Sohaib, received a two-day suspension for similar disruptive behavior but expressed regret, unlike Singh. The Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing will determine the validity of Singh’s expulsion.