Which of the following statements about the Ethics Committee in the Lok Sabha are correct?Initially

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Question

Which of the following statements about the Ethics Committee in the Lok Sabha are correct?Initially it was an ad-hoc Committee.Only a Member of the Lok Sabha can make a complaint relating to unethical conduct of a member of the Lok Sabha.This Committee cannot take up any matter which is sub-judice.Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: C — 1 and 3 onlyStep-by-step Solution:Statement 1 — Initially it was an ad-hoc Committee: This is correct. The genesis of the Ethics Committee in the Lok Sabha can be traced to the Presiding Officers' Conference of October 1996. The late Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi constituted an ad-hoc Ethics Committee in 2000 during the 13th Lok Sabha. This ad-hoc committee became a permanent part of the Lok Sabha only in 2015. ✓Statement 2 — Only a Member of Lok Sabha can file a complaint: This is incorrect. The rules do not restrict complaints only to Members of Parliament. Any person can file a complaint against an MP, but the complaint must be routed through a sitting Member of the Lok Sabha, with supporting evidence and a signed affidavit confirming it is not false, frivolous, or vexatious. If the Member himself complains against another Member, no affidavit is needed. The Speaker can also refer a complaint to the Committee. Hence, it is not restricted to Members alone. ✗Statement 3 — Cannot take up any matter which is sub-judice: This is correct. The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha does not entertain complaints based solely on media reports, nor does it take up matters that are sub-judice (i.e., under consideration by a court of law). The committee makes a prima facie inquiry before deciding to examine a complaint further. ✓Statements 1 and 3 are correct.Why other options are incorrect:Option A (1 and 2 only): Incorrect. Statement 2 is wrong — any person can file a complaint (not just MPs), though it must be routed through a Member.Option B (2 and 3 only): Incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect.Option D (1, 2 and 3): Incorrect. Statement 2 is factually wrong.Key Concept: Ethics Committees of Parliament: Rajya Sabha: Ethics Committee constituted first (March 4, 1997, under Vice President K.R. Narayanan); examines complaints of moral/ethical misconduct by Rajya Sabha members. Lok Sabha: Ethics Committee initially ad-hoc (2000); became permanent in 2015; examines cases of misconduct referred to it. Key features: Enforces the code of conduct of MPs; Examines cases of misconduct; Makes recommendations after evaluating complaints; Cannot entertain complaints based only on media reports; Cannot take up sub-judice matters. The committee received prominence when it was constituted to investigate the 'cash-for-query' scandal involving a Lok Sabha MP in 2023.

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