2 more Opposition MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for misconduct, total expulsion increases to 143

The Lok Sabha, on Wednesday, suspended two more opposition MPs - Thomas Chazhikadan and A M Ariff for remainder of Winter Session for misconduct. Both the lawmakers are from Kerala. Both the MPs have been suspended for “displaying placards and entering the Well of the House.”

#WATCH | Lok Sabha MPs C Thomas and AM Ariff suspended for the winter session of Parliament for "displaying placards and entering the Well of the House" pic.twitter.com/SkMYPMa2TO

— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2023

Chazhikadan belongs to Kerala Congress (M), Ariff is a lawmaker of the CPM. With the expulsion of MPs on Wednesday, the total number of suspensions in both the houses has increased to 143. Of the total MPs suspended, 97 were from the Lok Sabha, while the others were from the Rajya Sabha. The Winter Session 2023 of the Parliament began on 4 December. On 14 December, 14 Opposition MPs were expelled and on 18 December, 78 lawmakers were suspended. On Tuesday (19 December), 49 more Opposition MPs were suspended and today (20 December) two more have been expelled.

The Opposition lawmakers were suspended for causing disruptions in the functioning of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the 13 December Parliament security breach.

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Opposition parties have been staging protests outside the Parliament, protesting against the suspension. They alleged that their voices were being suppressed and said it was a “murder of democracy”. Meanwhile, the government contended that the MPs were suspended for violating the directives of the Chair in the Houses. With inputs from agencies