Centre introduces three bills enabling removal of top elected leaders detained on serious charges for 30 days.
Rahul Gandhi compares the move to medieval practices, alleging misuse of agencies.
Mallikarjun Kharge says bills introduced without scope for debate, raising federalism concerns.
Government Introduces Bills For Removal Of PMs And CMs Under Custody; Opposition Raises Concerns
Three new bills mandate loss of office if prime minister, Union ministers, or chief ministers are detained for 30 consecutive days
Summary
The government on Wednesday introduced three bills in Parliament providing for the removal of the prime minister, Union ministers, chief ministers, or state ministers if they are detained for 30 consecutive days on serious criminal charges.
The proposed legislations are the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025. They propose that if such leaders are arrested and detained for offences carrying a minimum sentence of five years, they will lose their post on the 31st day.
According to the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, there is currently no provision in the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 for the removal of a chief minister or minister in such cases. The amendment seeks to provide a legal framework for this.
Speaking at a function in Samvidhan Sadan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the move was akin to going back to a time when rulers could remove anyone at will. He alleged that elected representatives could be eliminated through action initiated by enforcement agencies.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the amendment bill undermined the principles of parliamentary democracy and federalism and was introduced at the fag end of the session, leaving no scope for meaningful debate. He said several bills had been passed in recent years without proper deliberation and added that the new bills could be used to destabilise elected governments.
Kharge also said autonomous agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax Department, and CBI had been given extensive powers in the last 11 years.
At the same event, Gandhi alleged attempts were being made to replicate in Bihar the political developments seen earlier in Maharashtra.
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