14 suspended Oppn MPs may attend Parl session

The 14 opposition MPs suspended for privileges cases may be able to attend the upcoming budget session, the last one before the general elections, as the privileges committees of both Houses have initiated the process to submit reports on the lawmakers, functionaries aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

- Saubhadra Chatterji

Amid the acrimony in the winter session, an unprecedented 146 opposition MPs were suspended between December 17 and 19. Even as 90% or 132 lawmakers are free to attend as they were banned only for the winter session, the privileges charges against the remaining 14 -- three from the Lok Sabha and 11 from the Rajya Sabha -- will keep them out unless the reports of the privileges committees are submitted by the first few days of the session.

The Lok Sabha's privileges committee has called a meeting on January 30 to adopt the draft report on the issue.