Vijay Mallya's resignation from Rajya Sabha accepted by Chairman Hamid Ansari

Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari on Wednesday accepted Vijay Mallya's resignation from the Upper House. Ansari had turned down the resignation on Tuesday on procedural grounds while the Ethics Committee also found loopholes in his defence and decided to recommend his expulsion after having examined his reply.

On Tuesday, Ansari's Officer on Special Duty to Gurdeep Singh Sappal had said:

"Hamid Ansari, Chairman, Rajya Sabha does not accept the resignation of Vijay Mallya. Secretary General, Rajya Sabha writes to Sh. Mallya that his resignation letter does not conform to prescribed procedures & does not bear signature in original. As per Rule 213 of RS procedures, the resignation must be voluntary and genuine."

Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported that the Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha had recommended the expulsion of liquor baron and Independent MP Vijay Mallya with immediate effect, rejecting his defence on the matter and dismissing his resignation.

In his resignation letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari on Monday, he said he does not want his "name and reputation to be further dragged in the mud".

"And since recent events suggest that I will not get a fair trial or justice, I am hereby resigning as a member of the Rajya Sabha with immediate effect," Mallya said in the letter.