Red lines legislatures, lawmakers must heed

There are at least three takeaways from the Supreme Court decision to set aside the expulsion of Sunil Kumar Singh, a RJD representative, from the Bihar legislative council.

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One, that the expulsion was an "excessive" and "disproportionate" punishment; two, that legislative action of this kind must withstand judicial scrutiny; and three, that public representatives should be responsible in their conduct in public forums. In its order, the apex court also provided a framework to assess if the penalty is proportionate to the charge against the lawmaker.