Legislators should be respectful even while dissenting, says SC on RJD MLC's plea against expulsion

Supreme Court sets final hearing for expelled RJD leader challenging expulsion for remarks against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The Supreme Court has said that legislators should be respectful even while dissenting, as it fixed for final hearing a plea challenging the expulsion of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Sunil Kumar Singh from the Bihar Legislative Council for his remarks against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh fixed January 9 for hearing the matter in detail, after it prima facie disapproved of the statements made by Mr. Singh on February 13, last year, during a heated exchange in the House.

"Legislators should be respectful even while dissenting," the bench observed after senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the RJD leader, said that freedom of speech inside the House has been given wide latitude.

Mr. Singhvi said that similar words were said by another legislator who was suspended, but in Mr. Singh’s case, he was expelled for saying only one word.

Hearing the matter on Monday (January 6, 2025), the bench told Mr. Singhvi, "This is how freedom of speech is used inside the House? You (Singhvi) are also a Member of Parliament. Do you subscribe to the use of such language against your opponents inside the House?"

Mr. Singhvi said he does not subscribe to such language, but expulsion for the use of such language would make the opposition benches empty.

The bench then asked Mr. Singhvi to prepare for the final hearing of the matter and listed it for January 9, saying it won't give half-an-hour for hearing of the petition.