Common code of conduct proposed for legislative bodies

  1. Lok Sabha Speaker has formed a committee of Speakers of state legislative bodies to frame a code of conduct.
  2. The purpose of of the Code of Conduct is to set out the minimum ethical standards required by public representatives when discharging their obligations to the Assembly, their constituents and the public at large.
  3. Code of conduct is needed as elections in India are often remembered for personal attacks, snide remarks and hate speeches made at the expense of taking political discourse to its nadir.
  4. Hence,to ensure civility in political speeches and expressions, establishing a code of conduct for politicians is necessary.
  5. A Code of Conduct for members of Rajya Sabha has been in force since 2005 but there is no such code for Lok Sabha.A code for Union ministers was also adopted in 1964 and state governments were also advised to adopt it as well.
  6. Further,the conference of Chief Justices in 1999 has also resolved to adopt a code of conduct for judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.