Speaker turns down Privilege Motion Notice

Disallowing the Notice of Breach of Privilege of the state Assembly brought by Left Front leader Sujan Chakraborty against Director General of Police Surajit Kar Purakayastha and Commissioner of Police (Howrah) D P Singh, Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay criticised the role of Chakraborty saying he had committed a criminal offence by violating Section 144 CrPc outside Nabanna without giving priority to his presence in the House when it was in session.

Bandyopadhyay said: "He had brought the Notice of Breach of Privilege against them on May 25 for their arrest whereas, it has to be brought within the next day of the incident.

"The incident had happened on May 22. In the report given by the police, I have found that they have violated 144 CrPC and was a party of the agitation and they did not listen to the police's request of not doing so. They were arrested as they did not listen to the police. They were released on the same day against a bail bond," he said.

He further added that he has observed that Chakraborty was present in the first half of the House on that day and he along with some other MLAs were not present in the House in the second half without taking any permission or leave. Moreover, they had committed an offence by violating 144 CrPC at that time."

"I condemn such an activity of an MLA as attending the House is of utmost importance when it is in session. Moreover, Notice of Breach of Privilege of the House becomes irrelevant when the member has violated the law outside," the Speaker said.

Chakraborty had also mentioned that the House was not informed about their arrests.

But it has been clearly stated in the rule that there is no need to inform the House if someone is arrested and released on the same day. Despite the existing rule, the police had informed the House both about their arrests and release.

Chakraborty also said that their arrests were also not mentioned in the bulletin. But when the House is in session, there is no need to publish it in the bulletin.

Moreover, Chakraborty had written the letter of Breach of Privilege of the House to the Speaker when it had to be addressed to the secretary.