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

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

The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha and its History:The genesis of the formation of the Ethics Committee in Parliament can be traced to a resolution adopted at the Presiding Officers Conference held in New Delhi in October 1996 which desired the legislatures to explore the possibility of constituting an Ethics Committee. It is in pursuance of this resolution that the endeavour for setting up of the Ethics Committee in Indian Legislatures began in earnest.Then Vice President (and Rajya Sabha Chairman) K R Narayanan constituted the Ethics Committee of the Upper House on March 4, 1997, and it was inaugurated that May to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of members and examine cases of misconduct referred to it. The Rules applicable to the Committee of Privileges also apply to the ethics panel.In the case of Lok Sabha, a study group of the House Committee of Privileges, after visiting Australia, the UK, and the US in 1997 to look into practices pertaining to the conduct and ethics of legislators, recommended the constitution of an Ethics Committee, but it could not be taken up by Lok Sabha. The Committee of Privileges finally recommended the constitution of an Ethics Committee during the 13th Lok Sabha.The late Speaker, G M C Balayogi, constituted an ad hoc Ethics Committee in 2000, which became a permanent part of the House only in 2015. Hence, statement 1 is correct.Any person can complain against a Member through another Lok Sabha MP, along with evidence of the alleged misconduct, and an affidavit stating that the complaint is not false, frivolous, or vexatious. If the Member himself complains, the affidavit is not needed. The Speaker can refer to the Committee any complaint against an MP. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.The Committee does not entertain complaints based only on media reports or on matters that are sub judice. The Committee makes a prima facie inquiry before deciding to examine a complaint. It makes its recommendations after evaluating the complaint. Hence, statement 3 is correct.