RS panel for expulsion
The ethics committee will recommend expulsion of Vijay Mallya from the Rajya Sabha but has decided to give him time till March 2 to explain his conduct
The Rajya Sabha’s Ethics Committee will recommend expulsion of liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the House after it found that he has not declared changes in his assets and liabilities for 10 years.
The panel has served a notice to Mallya, out of India since March 2, seeking explanations for these serious errors. “All members wanted Mallya to be expelled. But chairman Karan Singh pointed out that before recommending expulsion, we must allow Mallya to defend himself,” said a member of the committee.
Rajya Sabha MPs make a mandatory declaration of their annual assets and liabilities. “In Mallya’s case, every year he mentioned that his assets and liabilities remained same. There was no change. How can it be possible?” asked another member present at the meeting.
“We have examined the entire issue related to Mallya’s case. The documents that we had sought from banks have also come. There was a unanimous view in the panel that he should be expelled from the House. But we have still decided to give him a week’s time to tell us whatever he has to say. The next meeting of the committee has been fixed on May 3, when we will take a final decision,” Singh said after the meeting.
Mallya was first elected to the Upper House in 2002. He won another election in 2010. The Ethics Committee has looked into statements furnished by Mallya since 2002.
Furnishing false information before the House leads to breach of privilege and a member can be expelled on the ground. Members of the Ethics Panel that is reviewing Mallya’s case were of the opinion that strict and exemplary action should be taken against him.
If expelled, it would be a huge embarrassment for Mallya, an independent MP from Karnataka.