MPs will have to follow strict guidelines while accepting foreign hospitality during personal foreign trips and will have to take prior permission of the Central Government. This information has been given in the new notification issued by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on Thursday.
MPs will have to take permission before accepting gifts during personal foreign trips
A series of notifications were issued by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. One of these notifications pertains to MPs adhering to the code of conduct norms, ordering them not to accept gifts that may interfere with the honest and impartial discharge of their official duties. However, they may accept casual gifts or cheap souvenirs and traditional hospitality.
Mahua Moitra accused of asking questions while taking money
These guidelines come at a time when the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha has recommended the expulsion of Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Mahua Moitra in the ‘asking questions regarding money’ controversy. Moitra has been accused of taking ‘illegal money’ from Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani for raising questions in Parliament. The notified norms state that all invitations received from any foreign source, i.e. Government of any country or any foreign entity, are expected to be sent through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). If such invitation is received directly, the MPs are required to bring it to the notice of the Ministry of External Affairs and necessary political clearance of the Ministry should also be obtained for this purpose.
What was said in the notification
Another notification said, under Section 6 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, Members of Parliament are prohibited from accepting any foreign hospitality during their private foreign visits or visits abroad in their personal capacity. It is necessary to obtain prior permission. It said that MPs are also advised that their applications for accepting foreign hospitality should reach the Ministry of Home Affairs at least two weeks before the proposed date of visit. Before accepting hospitality, Members of Parliament should satisfy themselves about the credentials of the organisation/institution providing the hospitality, the notification said.
MPs must be informed about the purpose of their foreign trip
Another notification said that MPs are requested to send information about the purpose of their foreign travel to the Secretary General at least three weeks in advance, so that the Ministry of External Affairs and the concerned Indian Mission/Post can be informed about it. Members are also requested to e-mail the Joint Secretary in-charge of the Conference and Protocol Section as soon as their itinerary is finalized.
Care must be taken to ensure that Parliament is not brought into disrepute
In another recent notification, again mentioning the code of conduct to be followed by the MPs, it has been said that the MPs should not do anything that brings disrepute to the Parliament and affects their credibility. The Code of Conduct also states that MPs should always see that their personal financial interests and those of their immediate family do not conflict with public interests and if any such conflict ever arises, they should make efforts to resolve it. , so that public interest is not endangered.