Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your UPSC Current Affairs knowledge nugget for today on Parliamentary privilege, breach of privilege and Privilege CommitteesNearly two years after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday nominated 15 members to the Committee of Privileges. The panel, tasked to examine cases of breach of privilege of the House and its members, will be chaired by senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad.Parliamentary privilege refers to rights and immunities enjoyed by Parliament as an institution and MPs in their individual capacity, without which they cannot discharge their functions as entrusted upon them by the Constitution. According to the Constitution, the powers, privileges and immunities of Parliament and MP’s are to be defined by Parliament. According to the Constitution of India, Articles 105 and 122 outline the privileges of Parliament, while Articles 194 and 212 pertain to the privileges of state governments.Article 105, there shall be freedom of speech in Parliament. No member of Parliament shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or any vote given by him in Parliament or any committee thereof.Article 122: The validity of any proceedings in Parliament shall not be called in question in court on the ground of any alleged irregularity of procedure.Article 194 and Article 212 are corresponding articles for state legislature. Story continues below this adA breach of privilege is a violation of any of the privileges of MPs/Parliament. Among other things, any action ‘casting reflections’ on MPs, parliament or its committees; could be considered a breach of privilege. This may include publishing of news items, editorials or statements made in newspaper/magazine/TV interviews or in public speeches. Committee of Privileges: It examines all questions involving breach of certain rights, privileges, and immunities enjoyed by MPs. It is a Standing Committee. It examines the cases of breach of the privileges of the House and its members and recommends appropriate action. The Lok Sabha committee has 15 members, while the Rajya Sabha committee has 10 members.Actions the privileges committee can take: The mandate of the committee is to examine such cases and “make such recommendations as it may deem fit”. It can call the relevant people as part of its examination and look at related documents. It has to then make a report and if the Council has not fixed any time for its presentation, the report shall be presented within one month of the date on which reference to the Committee was made.A motion has to be passed for the consideration of the report and amendments can be suggested. The Chairman or any member of the Committee or any other member can move that the Council agrees, disagrees, or agrees with amendments, with the recommendations contained in the report.Story continues below this adA large number of notices are rejected, with penal action recommended in only a few cases.The most significant case was in 1978 when Indira Gandhi, who had just won the Lok Sabha elections from Chikmaglur, was expelled from the House. Then home minister Charan Singh moved a resolution of breach of privilege against her following observations made by the Justice Shah Commission, which probed excesses during the Emergency.Beyond the Nugget: Substantive MotionSources said that privilege committee is unlikely to take up the substantive motion moved by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi seeking his “immediate expulsion” from Lok Sabha after initiating an “inquiry to examine all his unethical conduct”. BJP sources said the Lok Sabha will directly discuss Dubey’s motion it if the Speaker takes it up during the second leg of the Budget Session beginning March 9.A substantive motion is a tool in the legislative body to ensure a discussion and decision on the motion if it is accepted. A substantive motion is a self-contained independent proposal submitted for the approval of the House and drafted in such a manner as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House,” say M N Kaul and S L Shakdher in their authoritative book Practice and Procedure of Parliament, which explains at length the various kinds of substantive motions.Story continues below this ad“Motions for election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, Motion of Thanks on the Address by the President, Motion for Adjournment on a matter of public importance, resolutions, motions for raising discussion on a matter of general public interest, motions of confidence/no-confidence in the Council of Ministers, resolution for removal of the Speaker/Deputy Speaker, motion declaring the seat of a member vacant and where leave of absence is not agreed to by the House, are examples of the substantive motions moved in Lok Sabha,” they write.Substantive motions are put to a vote so that they express the decision of the House.“The conduct of persons in high authority can only be discussed on a substantive motion drawn in proper terms,” say Kaul and Shakdher, adding, “The Constitution lays down specific procedure for impeachment of the President, and for the presentation of an address to the President by each House of Parliament for the removal of a Judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court, the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or the Chief Election Commissioner. Similarly, provision has been made in the Constitution for the removal of the Vice-President and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha by means of resolutions.”A substantive motion requires notice to be given and can be moved only by the member who has given the notice. There is an exception though: where a motion stands in the name of a Minister, it may be moved by another Minister, but the mover has to mention that he is moving it on behalf of the other Minister.Story continues below this adIn this case, as Dubey is not a minister, he will be required to move it, when the Chair permits him. Importantly, except in the case of motions for election of the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker, and the Motion of Thanks on the Address by the President, there is no requirement for any substantive motion to be seconded.Post Read QuestionConsider the statements given below:1. The Lok Sabha privilege committee has 15 members, while the Rajya Sabha committee has 10 members.2. A substantive motion requires notice to be given and can be moved only by the member who has given the notice.Which of the above given statements is/are true?(a) 1 only(b) 2 only(c) Both 1 and 2(d) Neither 1 nor 2Answer: (c)Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.Story continues below this ad Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for February 2026. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com