The 14 opposition MPs suspended for privileges cases may be able to attend the upcoming budget session, the last one before the general elections, as the privileges committees of both Houses have initiated the process to submit reports on the lawmakers, functionaries aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

Amid the acrimony in the winter session, an unprecedented 146 opposition MPs were suspended between December 17 and 19.

Even as 90% or 132 lawmakers are free to attend as they were banned only for the winter session, the privileges charges against the remaining 14 — three from the Lok Sabha and 11 from the Rajya Sabha — will keep them out unless the reports of the privileges committees are submitted by the first few days of the session.

The Lok Sabha’s privileges committee has called a meeting on January 30 to adopt the draft report on the issue.

“Motion resolution adopted by the House on 18 December, 2023 leading to their suspension from the service of the House for creating grave disorder in the House and referring the matter to the Committee of Privileges for further investigation and report to the House-Consideration and adoption of draft Report,” said the notice of the panel meeting posted in the Lok Sabha portal.

The Rajya Sabha panel called a meeting on January 9 on the subject, but the meeting could not take any decision as only three members, including Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh, who heads the panel, were present.

“We are looking for a suitable date to call another meeting at the earliest,” a functionary of the panel said, asking not to be named. “We want to table our report in this session.”

Read Here: LS privileges committee adopts resolution to revoke 3 MPs’ suspension

The 14 suspended MPs are K Jayakumar and Abdul Khaleque of the Congress and Vijay Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) from the Lok Sabha; and Congress’s Jebi Mather, L Hanumanthaiah, Neeraj Dangi, Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, and GC Chandrasekhar, Communist Party of India’s Binoy Viswam and Sandosh Kumar, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Mohamad Abdulla and Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s John Brittas and AA Rahim from the Rajya Sabha.

“We will adopt the report and try to submit it as soon as possible. We are aware that once the report is tabled, the three suspended MPs can participate in the proceedings,” a functionary of the Rajya Sabha panel said. Another functionary said that “the report will be presented as soon as possible to allow the MPs to participate in the debates on the President’s speech and the Vote on Accounts.”

Both asked to remain unnamed.

The budget session will start with the President’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses on January 31, followed by the interim budget on February 1. The session, which will end on February 9, is likely to have only two debates to discuss the speech and the Vote of Accounts. “We are trying to see that all MPs get a chance to participate in the two debates and listen to the President’s speech,” said a functionary of the Rajya Sabha privileges panel.

The acrimonious winter session that saw a glaring lapse in the security of the heavily fortified building, with two intruders jumping into the Lok Sabha with smoke canisters, also witnessed a record 146 opposition lawmakers being suspended from Parliament.

The Opposition has claimed the suspensions were prompted by their continuing demand for answers from the government on the security lapse — and specifically a statement from home minister Amit Shah — but the government has denied the charge and maintained that the suspensions were for disorderly conduct.