Decode Politics: As Suresh Gopi talks of charging fees for events, a look at laws, rules governing MPs’ conduct

Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum and Natural Gas,Suresh Gopi — the actor-turned-politician, who won from the Thrissur seat to become the BJP’s first Lok Sabha MP from Kerala — has said that he would continue acting in films, adding that a part of his earnings would be utilised for the benefit of the people and society.

Gopi has also said he would accept money for inaugurating programmes in his capacity as an actor, just like his colleagues in the film industry. This money, he said, would be entirely used for social purposes. “When I go for any programme, don’t think that I will inaugurate it as an MP. I will come as an actor. I will take a salary worthy of that, just like my colleagues take,” Gopi said at a BJP reception in his constituency on Thursday. He also made it clear that his entire fees from these inaugurations would go to his trust for social work.

Can MPs practise other professions? What are the laws and rules for it? Some provisions of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 govern the conduct of legislators in this regard.

The basic disqualification criteria for an MP are laid down in Article 102 of the Constitution, and for an MLA in Article 191.

Article 102 says that an MP shall be disqualified if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State, other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder.

The word “office” has not been defined in the Constitution or the Representation of the People Act of 1951. But different courts have interpreted it to mean a position with certain duties that are more or less of public character. However, a legislator cannot be disqualified from either the Parliament or