Home Minister Amit Shah introduces three bills for removal Of PM, CMs, Ministers arrested on criminal charges in Lok Sabha
‘The Government of Union Territories Bill, the Constitution Bill and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation bill referred to Joint Parliamentary Committee’
Ishtiyaq Kar
Srinagar, Aug 20 (KINS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday introduced three bills in the Lok Sabha, proposing automatic removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers if they remain in custody for more than 30 consecutive days on serious criminal charges.
The move triggered fierce protests from the Opposition, leading to repeated disruptions and adjournments.
The draft legislations—the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025—were referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament comprising 21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha members.
News agency KINS reported that the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 proposes an amendment to Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, providing a legal framework for the removal of a Chief Minister or any Minister if they are arrested or detained in custody on serious criminal charges.
As Home Minister Aimit Shah tabled the bills, Opposition MPs stormed into the well of the House, raising slogans, tearing copies of the draft laws, and accusing the government of weakening federalism and distorting parliamentary democracy.
AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, and Congress leaders Manish Tewari and K.C. Venugopal argued that the provisions undermine the principle that an accused is “innocent until proven guilty.”
Amit Shah rejected the criticism, insisting the measures were not brought in haste. “We cannot be so shameless that we continue to occupy constitutional positions while facing serious charges,” he said, adding that the Joint Committee would allow members from all parties to offer suggestions.
The uproar forced Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the House till 5 pm, even as marshals and BJP MPs formed a protective cordon around Shah amid jostling between ruling and opposition benches.
According to the proposed bills, any Prime Minister, Union Minister, or Chief Minister facing offences punishable with at least five years’ imprisonment would lose office automatically on the 31st day of custody.(KINS)
