Members of the regulations drafting committee of the House of Representatives have reached an agreement to include a provision to not suspend parliamentarians who have been arrested or remanded in custody for criminal offences. A meeting of the committee on Friday agreed that any lawmaker shouldn’t be suspended until a court convicts the member of the legislature.

Lawmakers from the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Centre), and CPN (Unified Socialist), however, were for suspending such lawmakers. They were of the view that the decision would send a negative message that only the general public was subject to the rules and regulations, while parliamentarians were immune.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Janata Samajbadi Party, and other Madhesh-based parties, however, stood against suspending lawmakers until they are convicted by a court.

The committee reached an agreement to not suspend the accused parliamentarians while they wouldn’t get the perks and benefits from the parliament secretariat during the period of suspension.

If the draft is passed by the full House, parliamentarians serving jail terms will also be allowed to bear the logo of the parliament.