In a significant development in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (March 17), the suspension of eight opposition members was lifted following intense exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches over maintaining decorum and respecting parliamentary boundaries described as the “Lakshman Rekha.”

The decision came after assurances from opposition parties about upholding the dignity of the House, alongside demands for equitable speaking time.

The eight opposition MPs including Congress’s Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Prashant Padole, C. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Manickam Tagore and CPI(M) MP S. Venkatesan were suspended on February 3 for the entire session, following an uproar after leader of opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi was stopped from speaking during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.

Congress member K Suresh requested the House to consider the revocation of the eight opposition members, saying whatever had happened in the House was regrettable, and that his party was ready to cooperate in the smooth functioning of the House.

Following the submissions by several opposition members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said there was a need to draw a 'Laxman Rekha' for the smooth functioning of the House, which both treasury and opposition benches agreed to.

Speaker Om Birla said there is a need to ensure that no placards, posters, photos or AI-generated images are displayed in the House or inside the Parliament complex.

Birla said that everyone is of the opinion that proceedings in the Parliament of the world's largest democracy should be smooth, and everyone should cooperate.

Rijiju then moved a motion to remove the suspension of seven Congress MPs and one CPI(M) member, which was adopted by a voice vote.

The eight MPs were suspended on February 3 for "unruly" behaviour following a resolution passed by the Lok Sabha in the first half of the ongoing Budget session.

They were suspended for the entire duration of the Budget session scheduled to conclude on April 2.

Earlier, after Suresh's submission, Samajwadi Party member Dharmendra Yadav supported the move, saying his party was ready to cooperate in maintaining the highest standards of Parliament.

"I want to assure the House that we will not do anything that hurts the dignity of the House. But the ruling alliance members should also behave properly," Yadav said, taking the name of BJP's Nishikant Dubey, whom he asked to "correct himself".

Dubey immediately refuted Yadav, saying that during his 17 years of Parliamentary career, he has not done anything that lowered the dignity of the House.

The BJP MP also demanded an apology from the Samajwadi Party MP for his remarks.

NCP leader Supriya Sule said efforts should be made by both ruling and opposition members so that the House functions smoothly.

"No one should make any personal comments on anyone. We (opposition) should respect the treasury benches, which should also respect the opposition. There should be a 'Laxman Rekha', which no one should breach," she said.

JD-U leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh said the House should function smoothly and both sides should cooperate.

Rijiju said the ruling alliance members will not break rules, nor have they ever broken rules in the past.

"A 'Laxman Rekha' should be drawn. People did not elect us to disrupt House proceedings or stage protests. The House should function smoothly with everyone's cooperation," Rijiju said.

Suresh said that since Monday, the opposition members have not shown any placards or banners, and that they are ready to cooperate in the proper functioning of the House.

The revocation, passed through a voice vote, signals a temporary thaw in tensions, with both sides reiterating their commitment to ensuring smoother proceedings as the Budget session progresses toward its scheduled conclusion on April 2.