Article 187: Privileges of the State Assembly

1) There shall be full freedom of speech in the State Assembly, subject to this Constitution, 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 State Assembly.

2) The State Assembly shall, subject to this Constitution, have full power to regulate and decide its internal business, and it shall be the exclusive right of the State Assembly 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 the State Assembly, and no publication or 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 State Assembly other than the members of the State Assembly.

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

Explanation: For the purposes of this clause and clauses (1), (2), (3) and (4), “State Assembly” means and includes the meeting of a committee of the State Assembly.

6) No member of the State Assembly may 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 prevent the arrest under the law of any member on a criminal charge. If any member is so arrested, the authority making such arrest shall forthwith give information thereof to the person presiding over the State Assembly.

7) Any breach of the privileges shall be deemed to constitute contempt of the State Assembly, and the State Assembly shall have the exclusive right to decide whether any breach of its privileges has taken place.

8) If any person is in contempt of the State Assembly, the person presiding over the State Assembly may, after a decision by the State Assembly 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 submits an apology to the satisfaction of the State Assembly, it may either pardon him or her or remit or commute the sentence imposed on him or her.

9) Other matters relating to privileges of the State Assembly shall be as provided in the State law.