Supreme Court denies Immunity to Lawmakers in Bribery Cases

The Supreme Court of India has recently made a landmark ruling that Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) do not possess immunity from prosecution for bribery related to their speech or vote in the legislature. This decision, which came from a unanimous verdict by a seven-judge constitution bench, overturns a previous 1998 verdict that had granted such immunity. The case in question involved Sita Soren, an MLA accused of accepting a bribe for her vote in the Rajya Sabha elections of 2012. The court’s ruling emphasizes the importance of integrity in the legislative process and the accountability of lawmakers, marking a significant shift in how legal immunity under Articles 105(2) and 194(2) of the Indian Constitution is interpreted in relation to acts of bribery.