Maharashtra to have panel on code of conduct for legislator

Mumbai: Maharashtra will soon have a panel to formulate a code of conduct for legislators, both within and outside the House.

The state Assembly approved the constitution of a committee for formulation of code of conduct for lawmakers to adhere to inside the House or even outside it, and when they are visiting a foreign country.

The committee, referred to as the Ethics Committee of the Legislature, will comprise 19 lawmakers. It will have to submit a report outlining a detailed code of conduct.

Incidentally, attempts have been made for the last 15 years to have such a code of conduct in place.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ranjit Patil, while tabling a proposal to form the panel, in the Lower House yesterday, pointed out that such committees had been constituted by the legislature in 1999, 2004 and 2009.

However, their tenures had lapsed without submission of any report since rules and the scope of work were never finalised.

Girish Bapat, state Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, later requested both sides of the House to ensure that the report was submitted within stipulated time frame, this time.
Speaker Haribhau Bagade said the code of conduct could not be prepared during last 15 years due to objections of legislators.