Monday, February 6 2006 15:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Terming as a very sad experience the expulsion of ten MPs in the wake of cash-for-query scam, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today (Feb 6,2006) hoped his decision of not replying to court notices would not set up a confrontation with the judiciary.

We have done nothing that should lead to a confrontation with the judiciary. We have a lakshman rekha and they should also have a lakshman rekha, he said at a press conference.

The Speaker earlier inaugurated the first-ever orientation programme for the members of the Bihar assembly jointly organised by the Assembly Secretariat and the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and training of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Asked if his decision not to reply to the court notice issued to him on the petitions of some of the expelled MPs did not amount to undermining the authority of the judiciary,Chatterjee said "We never undermine the judiciary.We all respect it. No sub-judice matters are discussed in the house and no remarks are made against the honourable judges.I affirm again and again that the judiciary is entitled to respect.

To a question on whether he thought the domain of legislature and the judiciary needed to be redefined, the Speaker said +there is no question of any fresh explanation.

The constitution is very clear on this. No legislature in any way will interfere in the functioning of the judiciary.

He said when the Lok Sabha decided to expel its members there was no standing order of the court on such matters and it was only after due deliberations with leaders of political parties, presiding officers of state legislatures and legal luminaries that the decision of not responding to the notice was taken.