New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has said that the courts have no jurisdiction on expulsion of MPs from Parliament and will not respond to any judicial notices in the matter.
Talking tough that he would not allow any quarter to corruption, Somnath is keen that Government come forward with a legislation to set up a high-level Commission to determine the salaries and allowances of MPs.
The 76-year-old eminent lawyer rejected all criticism that the punishment of expulsion given to MPs in the "cash for query" scam was hasty and that the issue should have been referred to the Privileges Committee or the Ethics Committee.
"I cannot stop anyone from going to court. But according to me, the courts have no jurisdiction at all in the matter. Any order is not not binding. I am not surrendering or submitting to the jurisdiction of the courts at this issue at all," he said.
Somnath has held consultations with eminent lawyers who are fully backed his stance that the Parliament was fully competent to take action against its memebrs and that court had no jurisdiction over it.
Maintaining that he had the highest respect for the judiciary, he said it was a question of discipline and Parliament had the authority under the Constitution to decide how to discipline its errant MPs.
"In this matter, under the Constitution, Parliament is the supreme authority."
Citing the recent remarks of Chief Justice of India that question of judges misconduct should be tackled within, the Speaker said "in a sense, it amounts to saying it will be decided by their peers. Likewise, we (Parliament) should be allowed this right. There should be no question."
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