Article 116 — Immunity from Proceedings for Acts in Parliame nt

(1) Subject to the provisions of this article, but without prejudice to the general effect of article 115 of this Constitution, civil or criminal proceedings shall not be instituted against a member of Parliament in any court or place out of P arliament for any matter or thing brought by him in or before Parliament by petition, bill, m otion or otherwise. (2) Whenever in the opinion of the person presiding in Parliament a statement made by a member is prima facie defamatory of any person, the person presiding sha ll refer the matter for inquiry to the Parliamentary committee on privi leges which shall report its findings to Parliament not later than thirty days after the mat ter was referred to it. (3) Where the committee referred to in clause (2) o f this article reports to Parliament that the statement made by the member is defamatory of any p erson, the member who made the statement shall, within seven days after that repor t, render an apology at the bar of Parliament, the terms of which shall be approved by the Parliam entary committee on privileges and communicated to the person who has been defamed. (4) Where a member refuses to render an apology in accordance with clause (3) of this article, the Speaker shall suspend that member for the durat ion of the session of Parliament in which the defamatory statement was made and a member so s uspended shall lose his parliamentary privileges, immunities and remuneration, but they s hall be restored to him if, at any time before the end of the session, he renders the apolo gy as required by clause (3) of this article. (5) A person who has made a contemporaneous report of the proceedings in Parliament, including a statement which has been the subject of an inquiry under clause (2) of this article, shall publish the apology referred to in clause (3) of this article or the suspension or the apology referred to in clause (4) of this article w ith the same prominence as he published the first report. (6) If a person fails to publish the apology as req uired by clause (5) of this article, he shall not be protected by privilege.