The Supreme Court docket Tuesday put aside the Bihar Legislative Council’s resolution to expel Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Sunil Kumar Singh for his alleged defamatory remarks towards Chief Minister Nitish Kumar final yr, terming it “extremely extreme”.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh additionally quashed the notification issued by the Election Fee for holding a bypoll to the seat that fell vacant after Singh’s expulsion.
The Opposition chief made the alleged remarks throughout the Funds Session of February 2024. He was expelled on the premise of a suggestion of the Home Ethics Committee.
Whereas stating Singh’s conduct was “abhorrent” and “unbecoming of a member of the Council”, the Supreme Court docket mentioned the punishment was “extremely extreme” and “disproportionate.” The bench mentioned his expulsion not solely violated his elementary rights but additionally the rights of the voters.
The bench held that selections of the Ethics Committee usually are not a part of the legislative features and are subsequently not immune from judicial evaluate. The bench added that the seven-month expulsion already undergone be deemed as suspension and applicable punishment for what he had finished.
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