58 Mps expelled from Parliament and counting
Mahua Moitra of the TMC may be the last in the series of Mps expelled by the Parliament and the number is rising by the year. Its a different matter many Mps staged a come back even after being expelled from the House. The recent disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha is a testimony of it when he was expelled and his membership was restored too. But Mahua Moitra's case is on a different footing as she may be expelled on the recommendation of the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee. These expulsions or disqualifications are since 1951 onward.
The disqualification of these lawmakers have been on various grounds like changing political allegiances, for conduct unbecoming of a parliamentarian and after being convicted by a court for crimes that have a jail term of two years or more.
In recent times, six members of the BJP, two from BSP and one each from the Congress and RJD were expelled from the Lok Sabha in 2005 over the ‘cash for query’ scam. One Rajya Sabha member from BSP too was expelled from the House.
A majority of cases were under the anti-defection law and less for the violation of code of conduct falling under the Ethics committee or the privileges committee of the House. Some of the Mps were expelled as they were holding Office of Profit which included JMM's Shibu Soren and SP's Jaya Bachchan. Sonia Gandhi quit on her own for holding an office of profit of Chairperson of the National Advisory Council.
PM Indira Gandhi was expelled from the Lok Sabha in 1977 over obstruction, harassment and bringing false cases. But the motion of expulsion was later rescinded by the House.
Her arch critic Subramanian Swamy was expelled from the Rajya Sabha in 1976 for his derogatory conduct. HG Mudgal was a Lok Sabha member in 1951 and was expelled over accepting money for favours in Parliament.
Ten members of Lok Sabha including three from BJP were expelled in 2006 under cash for query scam. Vijay Mallya quit before he could be expelled from the Rajya Sabha for a Rs 9000 crores scam.
