Jeans, sleeveless tops not parliamentary dress code, Speaker Hoyle warns British MPs
London, Sep 5: Britain's members of Parliament will return to the House of Commons on Monday at the end of their summer recess and have been issued a warning note by the Speaker to dress appropriately in business attire.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, has updated the Rules of behaviour and courtesies in the House of Commons to address any laxity that may have set in during the COVID-19 lockdown when rules were relaxed to allow MPs to be able to connect virtually with the chamber.
The new upgraded Commons guidance states that MPs must remember how they dress, should demonstrate respect for your constituents, for the House and for the institution of Parliament in the life of the nation .
Members are expected to wear business attire in and around the Chamber, read the new rules.
Jeans, chinos, sportswear or any other casual trousers are not appropriate. T-shirts and sleeveless tops are not business attire. Smart/business shoes are expected to be worn. Casual shoes and trainers are not appropriate. Men are encouraged to wear a tie, and jackets must be worn, it notes.
It is a privilege to serve as a Member of Parliament and your dress, language and conduct should reflect this, it adds.
The new rules represent a toughening of the advice from Hoyle's predecessor John Bercow, who was known for a more relaxed approach and believed there was "no exact dress code" for MPs.
It follows a few instances where Hoyle has intervened to point out an MP's choice of attire, including former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt being told he was not dressed smartly enough during a Commons debate on COVID-19 back in December 2020.
Hoyle has also moved to clamp down on rowdiness in the Commons and the new rules state that "singing and chanting are not permitted in the chamber" and that "clapping is also not allowed as it eats into the time available for debate".
MPs have also been told to pay attention: "When listening to a debate you should not read books or newspapers or obviously devote yourself to your phone or other electronic device."
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Karnataka MLA Vinay Kulkarni disqualified after conviction in Goudar murder case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Saturday issued an official notification regarding the disqualification of Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni following his conviction in the murder case of BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar.
The former minister is currently in prison, serving life imprisonment in the case.
“Consequent upon the conviction of Vinay Kulkarni, Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly representing the Dharwad constituency, by the LXXXI Additional City Civil & Sessions Judge, Bengaluru City (CCH-82), in Spl CC No. 565/2021, he stands disqualified from the membership of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the date of conviction, i.e, April 15, 2026,” the notification read.
“He stands disqualified in terms of the provisions of Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution of India, read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and such disqualification shall continue for a further period of six years after his release, unless the conviction is stayed by a competent court,” it added.
Hence, one seat in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly has fallen vacant, the notification said.
Bypolls were held on April 9 to fill two other seats in the 224-member Assembly that fell vacant due to the death of sitting MLAs. The results will be declared on May 4.
On April 15, Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat convicted Kulkarni and others under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and murder. Subsequently, on April 17, the court sentenced Kulkarni and 15 others convicted in the case to life imprisonment.
The case pertains to the killing of Goudar, a BJP Zilla Panchayat member, in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Kulkarni was a minister at that time. Hired assailants attacked and hacked Goudar to death in his gym at Saptapur in Dharwad.
Following demands from Goudar’s family and others, the then-BJP government transferred the case to the CBI in 2019.
The CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet in 2020, naming Vinay Kulkarni as the “main conspirator.” It alleged that he perceived Yogeshgouda Goudar as a growing political rival in Dharwad and hired contract killers to eliminate him.
Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI in 2020. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in August 2021 under certain conditions, including a ban on entering Dharwad district. However, in June 2025, the apex court cancelled his bail following allegations of witness tampering and attempts to influence prosecution witnesses.
Kulkarni again sought bail in January 2026, but the High Court rejected it, citing judicial propriety.
However, the Supreme Court granted him bail on February 27 after noting that all witnesses had been examined.
