The Lok Sabha Secretariat has issued fresh guidelines to Members of Parliament (MPs) regarding the use of Parliament’s log-in system. The secretariat has stated that replies to MPs’ queries discussed during Question Hour in Parliament are to be considered “strictly confidential” until the question has been asked and answered in the House.
In an order dated November 10, the Lok Sabha Secretariat emphasized that if a question is not asked or answered within the designated time, the reply should not be released until the conclusion of Question Hour.
This clarification comes in response to allegations against Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, who is accused of accepting a bribe from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions targeting the government.
Moitra has admitted to sharing her login details for the Parliament’s website, which is a highly confidential portal, with Hiranandani. She argues that there is no rule prohibiting the sharing of login credentials and that responses to questions become public information once they are released to MPs.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized Moitra, accusing her of corruption and posing a potential national security threat by allowing the possible leak of confidential information.
According to the Lok Sabha rule, answers to MPs’ Starred Questions, which require an oral answer, are posted to their respective accounts by 9 am on Question Hour day. This initiative is intended to assist MPs in formulating follow-up questions.
Responses to Unstarred Questions, which require a written answer, are also posted to the account of the MP who raised the issue, as well as on the Lok Sabha website after Question Hour.
The Lok Sabha order emphasizes that since the replies are protected by login and password on the Members’ portal, they are exclusively for the use of MPs.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat has requested that MPs maintain the confidentiality of replies and refrain from sharing their content with others until Question Hour is over. The order states that both oral and written questions should be treated as confidential until they are laid on the Table of the House after the conclusion of Question Hour.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who filed a complaint against Moitra that led to the Ethics Panel inquiry, posted the Lok Sabha’s clarification on social media. He took a swipe at Moitra, suggesting that she may not have been properly briefed by someone like Hiranandani.
These new guidelines aim to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of parliamentary proceedings and prevent any misuse of sensitive information.
