12 Seemandhra MPs Suspended From LS

As many as 12 MPs from the Seemandhra region have been suspended for 5 consecutive sittings from the Lok Sabha, for disrupting the proceedings of the House.

The Seemandhra MPs - 8 from the Congress and 4 from the TDP - stalled the proceedings of the House when it met at 11am on Friday. After two brief adjournments, Speaker Meira Kumar tried to restore order, in vain. However, the MPs continued their uproar in protest against the proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh to create a Telangana state.

With the MPs not responding to the Speaker's appeal, she ordered their suspension for creating "grave disorder", under Rule 374 (A) of the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha.

Earlier, the government withdrew its suspension motion which was moved against 11 MPs on Thursday. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said, "The government is not pressing for the motion."

However, the Seemandhra MPs continued their agitation, leading to the House being adjourned for the second time.

As the uproar continued, the Speaker named the MPs against whom the government had moved a suspension motion. She then asked theb MPs to withdraw from the House's proceedings.

The suspension came a day after the government moved a motion to suspend 11 MPs for disrupting the proceedings. This motion was opposed by the opposition parties, including the BJP.

Konakalla Narayana, M Venugopala Reddy, Siva Prasad and Nimmala Kishtappa from the TDP, and Harsha Kumar, K Bapiraju, Anatha Venktrami Reddy, Lagadapati Rajagopal, Vundavalli Arun Kumar, Sabbam Hari, Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy and Sai Pratap from the Congress, were the MPs who were suspended. (INN)