New Delhi: Famous for his quirky dialogues, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi sparked yet another controversy on Tuesday while taking the oath as the 18th Lok Sabha member. Owaisi was at the podium swearing in his Lower House membership when he concluded his speech by saying, “Jai Bheem, Jai Meem, Jai Telangana, Jai Palestine.”
Following widespread buzz around this slogan, Supreme Court Lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain informed late Tuesday night that a formal complaint has been registered against the AIMIM MP.
In a post on social media (formerly Twitter), Jain wrote, “A complaint has been filed before the President of India against Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi in terms of Articles 102 of the Constitution of India by Mr. Hari Shankar Jain, seeking his disqualification as a member of parliament.”
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It’s important to note what Article 102 of the Constitution says. It discusses the disqualification criteria for being chosen as, and for being, a member of either House of Parliament. Clause D of Article 102 specifies that a member can be disqualified if there is any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign State.
Regarding past incidents of Parliamentarians’ suspensions, it is not new as the process of suspension is a part of Parliamentary procedures. A few months ago, news headlines covered the suspension of 141 members, which was the highest in history. However, no one has been suspended to date on the grounds of foreign allegiance. If Owaisi were to be suspended, he would be the first Member of the House to face suspension on these grounds.
While suspensions of Parliamentarians are not uncommon, they have historically been based on other grounds within Parliamentary procedures, such as unruly behavior or breach of decorum. The case of disqualification based on foreign allegiance, as raised against Owaisi, represents a potentially precedent-setting situation. It remains to be seen how this complaint will be adjudicated and whether it will lead to Owaisi’s suspension, setting a new milestone in Parliamentary proceedings regarding disqualification criteria.
