By: Express News Service New Delhi | February 25, 2025 11:53 IST 2 min readSingh, a senior RJD leader said to be close to party chief Lalu Prasad, was expelled as MLC last July for allegedly mimicking Bihar Chief Minister Kumar (X/@drsunilsinghmlc)The Supreme Court Tuesday set aside the Bihar Legislative Council’s decision to expel Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Sunil Kumar Singh for his alleged defamatory remarks against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar last year, terming it “highly excessive”.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh also quashed the notification issued by the Election Commission for holding a bypoll to the seat that fell vacant after Singh’s expulsion.The Opposition leader made the alleged remarks during the Budget Session of February 2024. He was expelled on the basis of a recommendation of the House Ethics Committee.While stating Singh’s conduct was “abhorrent” and “unbecoming of a member of the Council”, the Supreme Court said the punishment was “highly excessive” and “disproportionate.” The bench said his expulsion not only violated his fundamental rights but also the rights of the electorate.The bench held that decisions of the Ethics Committee are not part of the legislative functions and are therefore not immune from judicial review. The bench added that the seven-month expulsion already undergone be deemed as suspension and appropriate punishment for what he had done.© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd