Lok Sabha functioning without its Ethics Committee

The Committee of Privileges during the 11th Lok Sabha constituted a Study Group on 31 January, 1997 for undertaking study of Parliamentary Privileges, Ethics and related matters. The Study Group visited Australia, United Kingdom and United States America to study ethics and standards of conduct of Members. The Committee attended the symposium at the Presiding Officers Conference at Shimla on 23 October, 1997 on the subject 'Need for Constitution of the Ethics Committees in Legislatures in India.'

The report was laid on the Table during the 12th Lok Sabha on 28 March, 1998. In the 13th Lok Sabha, the un-finished agenda was brought to the notice of the Committee of Privileges. It recommended that a separate Ethics Committee be constituted in Lok Sabha. This report was presented to the Speaker on 4 April, 2000 and was laid on the Table on 18 April, 2000. 

Pursuant to the report, the Speaker 13th Lok Sabha constituted the first Ethics Committee in Lok Sabha on 16 May, 2000 with the following terms of reference namely:-

(a) to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of the Members; and

(b) to examine the cases referred to it with reference to ethical and other misconduct of the Members.

The Committee on Ethics (Thirteenth Lok Sabha) in their First Report, which was laid on the Table of the House on 22 November, 2001 and adopted by the House on 16 May, 2002.  The Committee on Ethics (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) was also governed by the me terms of reference as laid down initially at the time of constitution of the Committee during the Thirteenth Lok Sabha.

The Report of Ethics Committee was presented to Speaker, Lok Sabha on 16 December, 2014 and laid on the Table of the House on 18 December. 2014. In 17th Lok Sabha, the Committee was constituted by Speaker, on 9th October, 2019. In the 18th Lok Sabha, the Ethics Committee has not been constituted as yet.