What Is Expunction Powers?
The first special session of the 18th Lok Sabha saw heated debates and clashes between the government and opposition over remarks that led to expunction from records.
- Expunction powers refer to the authority vested in parliamentary presiding officers, such as the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker, to delete remarks from official records that are deemed defamatory, indecent, unparliamentary, or undignified.
- This process helps maintain decorum and uphold parliamentary standards during debates and proceedings.
- This standard procedure is intended to maintain decorum and uphold parliamentary etiquette.
- The presiding officers, under Rules 261 (Rajya Sabha) and 380 (Lok Sabha), can order the deletion of objectionable remarks during debates.
- Expunged portions are marked and excluded from official records to prevent their circulation, although challenges persist in the digital age with live telecasts and social media dissemination.
