Article 103: Privileges

1) There shall be full freedom of speech in both Houses of the Federal Parliament; and no member shall be arrested, detained, or prosecuted in any court for anything expressed or any vote cast by him or her in the House.

2) Each House of the Federal Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have full power to regulate and decide its internal business, and the concerned House shall have the exclusive right to decide whether or not any of its proceedings are regular or irregular. No question shall be raised in any court on this behalf.

3) No comment shall be made about the good faith concerning any proceeding of any House of the Federal Parliament, and no publication and broadcasting of any kind shall be made about anything said by any member, intentionally distorting or misinterpreting the meaning of the speech.

4) The provisions of clauses (1) and (3) shall also apply to other persons who are entitled to participate in the meetings of the House other than the members of the Federal Parliament.

5) No proceedings shall be initiated in any court against any person in respect of the publication, under the authority granted by any House of the Federal Parliament, of any document, report, vote, or proceeding.

Explanation: For the purposes of this clause and clauses (1), (2), (3), and (4), “House” means the House of Representatives or the National Assembly, and includes a joint sitting or committee or joint committee of the Federal Parliament.

6) No member of the Federal Parliament shall be arrested during the period from the issuance of a notice summoning the session to its prorogation. Provided that nothing in this clause shall be deemed to bar the arrest under the Federal law of any member on a criminal charge. If any member is so arrested, the authority making such an arrest shall forthwith give information thereof to the person presiding over the concerned House.

7) Any breach of the privileges shall be deemed to constitute contempt of the Federal Parliament, and the concerned House shall have the exclusive right to decide whether any privilege has been breached.

8) If any person is in contempt of any House, the person presiding over the concerned House may, after a decision by the House to that effect, admonish, warn or impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or of a fine not exceeding ten thousand rupees on such person, and such fine shall be recovered as a government due.

Provided that if such a person apologizes to the satisfaction of the concerned House, it may pardon, remit, or commute the sentence imposed on him or her.

9) Other matters relating to the privileges of the Federal Parliament shall be as provided for in the Federal law.