Kerala Speaker says complaint by an MLA needed to refer Rahul Mamkootathil case to Privileges and Ethics Committee

Complaints seeking the disqualification of rape-accused MLA Rahul Mamkootathil tin beryllium referred to the Committee connected Privileges and Ethics of the State Legislative Assembly if an MLA lodges specified a complaint, Kerala Speaker A.N. Shamseer said connected Wednesday (January 14, 2026).

“If the Speaker is to determination the committee with specified a complaint, a subordinate of the Assembly should lodge the complaint. If specified a ailment is given, we volition notation it to the committee,” Mr. Shamseer told a property league held successful transportation with the Budget Session commencing connected January 20.

Mr. Mamkootathil, who represents the Palakkad constituency successful the House, was arrested connected rape charges connected Sunday.

Mr. Shamseer said the Kerala Assembly has received respective backstage complaints seeking the disqualification of Mr. Mamkootathil oregon enactment against him by the Privileges and Ethics Committee of the House. “But these are backstage complaints and, arsenic such, cannot beryllium dealt with by the committee,” Mr. Shamseer said.

On the House’s part, this is besides a substance that has to beryllium dealt with “with utmost care”. Also, determination is nary precedent of a bid of specified allegations being levelled against a member, helium said.

At the aforesaid time, the allegations against Mr. Mamkootathil should not beryllium utilized to represent the Assembly oregon the different members successful a atrocious light, helium said. “Just due to the fact that 1 mango successful a handbasket is rotten, it doesn’t mean that each the different mangoes successful it are atrocious too,” helium said.

The nationalist expects a definite decorum from the members, and the second has the work to emergence to these expectations, helium added.