DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The Speaker is the custodian of the privilege of the House and its Members, and has the onerous task of maintaining peace and order in the House. While the Members enjoy extensive privileges, they are also bound by duties. A high standard of discipline is expected of them, both inside and outside the House. The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business empowers the Speaker to order a Member, who is disrupting the orderly conduct of proceedings, to withdraw from the sitting.

Rule 277 (1) states that the Speaker shall preserve order and may direct any members whose conduct in his opinion is disorderly or is defiant to the Speaker, to withdraw from the House. The Member who has been asked to withdraw should withdraw immediately and absent himself during the remainder of the day’s sitting.

Naming of a member: In the event of a Member refusing to withdraw, in spite of the Speaker’s orders, the Speaker can name him. A member can be named in the following circumstances:

   (a)     if a member on being ordered by the Speaker to withdraw does not obey the order, or  

   (b)    if the Speaker considers the power conferred under sub-rule (1) of Rule 277 to be inadequate, or if a member wilfully and persistently obstructs the proceedings of the House in a disorderly manner, or

  (c)    if action under this rule becomes necessary against him on successive occasions in the same session.

  (d)       if action under this rule becomes necessary against him on successive occasions in the same session.

As soon as a Member is named, the Leader of the House or the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs or in his absence any other member shall move a motion for the suspension of the named member. On the adoption of the motion the member would be suspended. The period of suspension shall be for the first occasion for 3 sittings, for the second occasion for seven sittings and on subsequent occasions, unless the House otherwise decides, the member would be suspended for the remainder of the session. The House may at any time rescind the suspension of a member, through adoption of a motion.

The Speaker may also suspend a member (Rule 278) for a sitting, in case the Member indulges in improper conduct

The following are instance of members’ suspension/naming from the sitting of the House: