The Opposition alleged the bills are a backdoor attempt by the ruling party to topple non-BJP governments.
File Photo (ANI)
High drama ensued in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled three bills seeking to amend the Constitution to provide for the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, or ministers of Union, state, and Union Territories if they spend 30 consecutive days in jail on criminal charges.
Members of the Opposition parties tore the copies of the bills — The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — and threw them towards Home Minister Shah.
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The Opposition alleged the bills are a backdoor attempt by the ruling party to topple non-BJP governments.
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Congress MP Manish Tewari opposed the introduction of the three bills, saying it is squarely destructive of the basic structure of the Constitution.
“This Bill opens the door for political misuse by instrumentalities of the State whose arbitrary conduct has been repeatedly frowned upon by the Supreme Court. It throws all existing Constitutional safeguards to the winds…,” Tewari said.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said the bills introduced by Shah violate the principle of separation of powers and undermine the right of the people to elect a government.
“It gives executive agencies a free run to become judge and executioner based on flimsy allegations and suspicions…This Govt is hell-bent on creating a Police State. This will be a death nail unleashed on the elected government. India’s Constitution is being amended to turn this country into a Police State…,” he said in the Lok Sabha.
Following the ruckus, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the house till 3 pm.
What are the provisions of the proposed amendments
As per the bills, a prime minister, chief minister, or minister who is arrested and kept in custody for 30 consecutive days on allegations of an offence punishable with imprisonment of five years or more shall be removed from office on the 31st day.
The removal will be effected by the president in the case of the prime minister or union ministers, the governor in case of chief ministers, the chief minister in the case of state ministers, and the lieutenant governor in the case of the chief minister of a union territory.
According to a statement to Lok Sabha members on the objects of the bill, the elected representatives represent the hopes and aspirations of the people of the country, and their conduct and character should be beyond any ray of suspicion.
The statement further stresses the need to amend Articles 75, 164, and 239AA of the Constitution, saying there is currently no provision to remove a minister who is arrested on serious charges.
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