What is privilege motion in Indian Parliament?

A privilege motion is a notice by any member of either House of a state legislature or Parliament, against anyone who are accused of breach of privilege. Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities enjoyed by MPs, MLAs and MLCs, individually and collectively, so that they can effectively discharge their functions. When any of these rights and immunities is disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament or the state legislature. Each House also claims the right to punish as contempt actions which, while not breach of any specific privilege, are offences against its authority and dignity.

Examples of Privilege Motions moved in Parliament:

In 1961, Blitz editor RK Karanjia was held guilty of gross breach of privilege of the Lok Sabha in 1961. Blitz had published an article that lampooned veteran leader JB Kripalani. He was summoned to the bar of the Lok Sabha and reprimanded, while the Lok Sabha gallery pass of his correspondent, RK Raghavan, was cancelled.


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