Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has received a complaint from BJP MP Anurag Thakur regarding a TMC lawmaker allegedly using an e-cigarette inside the House. Thakur highlighted this as a serious breach of parliamentary rules and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019. The Lok Sabha secretariat is reviewing proceedings for appropriate action.
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Om Birla has received a written complaint from BJP MP Anurag Thakur for action against a TMC lawmaker for allegedly smoking an e-cigarette inside the House.Thakur had on Thursday raised the issue in Lok Sabha without naming the TMC MP.In his complaint, the Hamirpur MP said, “A Member of Parliament belonging to the All India Trinamool Congress was seen openly using an electronic cigarette while seated in the House during the sittings.”The act was “clearly visible” to several members present in the House, he added.LS secretariat sources said that the matter was serious and action as per the norms will be taken after going through recording of the proceedings.Thakur described the Trinamool MP’s act as a grave breach of Parliamentary rules and statutory provisions.The BJP MP said he had duly brought the matter to the notice of the Chair during Question Hour on Thursday.The BJP MP reminded the LS Speaker that the manufacture, production, import, export, transport, sale, including online sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes had been completely prohibited across India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019.
