The Crossbill News Desk
A fresh political controversy has erupted after Congress MP K.C. Venugopal moved a privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of misusing a national broadcast to target opposition parties following the defeat of a constitutional amendment Bill in Parliament.
The notice, submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleges that the Prime Minister’s April 18 address to the nation crossed parliamentary conventions and undermined the dignity of the House.
In his communication to the Speaker, Venugopal stated that the prime minister “addresses the nation on a critical matter of national concern” and such addresses are “few and far between” but Modi’s use of a national address to criticise opposition parties over a defeat in parliament is “unprecedented” and “constitutes a serious breach of privilege and contempt of the House,” The Wire reported.
“Addressing the Nation by the Prime Minister on Government not able to muster requisite majority in Parliament, for criticising the opposition parties is unprecedented which is unethical and blatant abuse of power,” he wrote.
“Such statements by the highest executive functionary of the country constitute a serious breach of privilege and contempt of the House.”
The Prime Minister’s televised address came a day after the Union government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha to pass the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — the first such legislative setback for the government in 12 years.
The proposed legislation aimed to expand the strength of the Lok Sabha to operationalise women’s reservation through a delimitation-linked exercise. During the address, Modi criticised opposition parties for voting against the Bill, describing their stance as an insult to women and likening it to female foeticide.
Venugopal argued that the Prime Minister’s remarks directly targeted opposition lawmakers and questioned their intent. He said Modi, during his 29-minute speech, made “direct reflections on the voting pattern of Members of the Opposition and attributed motives to them.”
“It is well established that casting reflections, aspersions, imputing motives to members of parliament in regard to speeches made by them in Parliament tantamount to gross breach of privilege and contempt of the House,” he said.
The Congress leader also noted that opposition parties had reiterated their support for women’s reservation during parliamentary discussions. Venugopal wrote that on April 16 and 17, members from the opposition parties had “categorically stated that they unanimously supported reservation for women in Lok Sabha.”
“In this regard the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act 2023 was unanimously adopted by both Houses of Parliament way back in September, 2023. As a matter of fact the Opposition specifically demanded that the reservation of women in Lok Sabha be urgently implemented fast tracking all the requirements as enunciated in Constitution and other statutory provisions. In so far as Constitution (131″ Amendment) Bill 2026, in the guise of implementing Women’s reservations in Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies surreptitiously sought to amend Article 82 of the Constitution,” he wrote.
According to Venugopal, questioning the voting conduct of MPs violates established parliamentary privilege. He maintained that it has long been convention that no individual, including the Prime Minister, “shall reflect upon the conduct or voting of any member in the House or attribute motives to such conduct.”
“Any such reflection or imputation directly undermines the dignity and authority of the House and interferes with the free and independent discharge of parliamentary duties by its members. Apart from the violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the Prime Minister’s speech on national television therefore amounts to a clear and serious breach of privilege of the House and of every Member of the opposition,” he wrote.
The notice has added another layer of confrontation between the government and the opposition, with the Speaker now expected to decide whether the complaint merits further parliamentary action.
The notice, submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleges that the Prime Minister’s April 18 address to the nation crossed parliamentary conventions and undermined the dignity of the House.
In his communication to the Speaker, Venugopal stated that the prime minister “addresses the nation on a critical matter of national concern” and such addresses are “few and far between” but Modi’s use of a national address to criticise opposition parties over a defeat in parliament is “unprecedented” and “constitutes a serious breach of privilege and contempt of the House,” The Wire reported.
“Addressing the Nation by the Prime Minister on Government not able to muster requisite majority in Parliament, for criticising the opposition parties is unprecedented which is unethical and blatant abuse of power,” he wrote.
“Such statements by the highest executive functionary of the country constitute a serious breach of privilege and contempt of the House.”
The Prime Minister’s televised address came a day after the Union government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha to pass the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 — the first such legislative setback for the government in 12 years.
The proposed legislation aimed to expand the strength of the Lok Sabha to operationalise women’s reservation through a delimitation-linked exercise. During the address, Modi criticised opposition parties for voting against the Bill, describing their stance as an insult to women and likening it to female foeticide.
Venugopal argued that the Prime Minister’s remarks directly targeted opposition lawmakers and questioned their intent. He said Modi, during his 29-minute speech, made “direct reflections on the voting pattern of Members of the Opposition and attributed motives to them.”
“It is well established that casting reflections, aspersions, imputing motives to members of parliament in regard to speeches made by them in Parliament tantamount to gross breach of privilege and contempt of the House,” he said.
The Congress leader also noted that opposition parties had reiterated their support for women’s reservation during parliamentary discussions. Venugopal wrote that on April 16 and 17, members from the opposition parties had “categorically stated that they unanimously supported reservation for women in Lok Sabha.”
“In this regard the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act 2023 was unanimously adopted by both Houses of Parliament way back in September, 2023. As a matter of fact the Opposition specifically demanded that the reservation of women in Lok Sabha be urgently implemented fast tracking all the requirements as enunciated in Constitution and other statutory provisions. In so far as Constitution (131″ Amendment) Bill 2026, in the guise of implementing Women’s reservations in Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies surreptitiously sought to amend Article 82 of the Constitution,” he wrote.
According to Venugopal, questioning the voting conduct of MPs violates established parliamentary privilege. He maintained that it has long been convention that no individual, including the Prime Minister, “shall reflect upon the conduct or voting of any member in the House or attribute motives to such conduct.”
“Any such reflection or imputation directly undermines the dignity and authority of the House and interferes with the free and independent discharge of parliamentary duties by its members. Apart from the violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the Prime Minister’s speech on national television therefore amounts to a clear and serious breach of privilege of the House and of every Member of the opposition,” he wrote.
The notice has added another layer of confrontation between the government and the opposition, with the Speaker now expected to decide whether the complaint merits further parliamentary action.
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