SC To Hear Mahua Moitra's Plea Against Expulsion From Lok Sabha Today

Mahua Moitra was expelled from the Lok Sabha last week for her involvement in the 'cash for query' case.

The Supreme Court will on Friday hear the plea of TMC leader Mahua Moitra against her expulsion as a member of the Lok Sabha after the Ethics panel recommended the same over the 'cash for query' case. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had accused Mahua of taking cash and gifts in return for asking questions and sharing her login credentials with Darshan Hiranandani to put questions of his choice. The Committee held an inquiry which Mahua had termed as verbal 'vastraharan'. 

However, the panel suggested expelling her for her involvement in the case and the motion for the same was adopted by the lower house with a vote on Friday (Dec 8).Speaker Om Birla announced the expulsion, stating, "This House accepts the conclusions of the Committee that MP Mahua Moitra's conduct was immoral and indecent as an MP. So, it is not appropriate for her to continue as an MP."

Later, she moved the top court against the decision of the House and the plea has been listed for admission before the bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti.

Speaking on her expulsion, Mahu Moitra said, "I am 49 years old, I will fight you for the next 30 years inside Parliament, outside Parliament. Ethics panel findings solely based on written testimonies of 2 persons whose versions contradict each other in material terms. Ethics panel punishing me for practice that is routine, accepted and encouraged in Lok Sabha."

"In essence, I have been found guilty of breaching a code of ethics that does not exist...LS ethics panel, its report has broken every rule in the book; it's a weapon to force us into submission," Mahua Moitra said after expulsion from House. "MPs are like conveyor belts to bring questions from general public to Parliament; kangaroo court punished me without evidence," Moitra was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.