NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday nominated the serving members of the House’s 15-member Committee of Privileges with immediate effect. Former Union Law Minister & current BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad has been appointed as the committee’s chair.
But soon after his nomination was announced, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said on X that he would not be attending the panel’s meetings as he is currently suspended. “I’m suspended. I can’t attend the committee meeting,” he wrote.
On February 19, 2026, this newspaper was first to report there had been no privileges or ethics panel in the Lok Sabha for two years.
The committee is responsible for examining matters concerning alleged breaches of parliamentary privilege. Following deliberations, it recommends appropriate action against any member found responsible for such breaches. Some other nominated members include Brijmohan Agarwal (BJP), Tariq Anwar (Congress), TR Baalu (DMK), Kalyana Banerjee (TMC), and Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne (Shiv Sena).
The committee functions as a safeguard of the privileges of MPs. It considers complaints regarding alleged breaches referred to it either by the House or by the Speaker. The panel examines each case to determine whether a breach has occurred and submits its findings and recommendations.