Amit Shah tables three bills to remove jailed ministers after 30 days

The Lok Sabha was enveloped in high drama on Wednesday as Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled three constitutional and statutory amendments that would allow the removal from office of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and other ministers who are arrested and detained for 30 consecutive days on charges carrying a minimum five-year penalty. The move sparked fierce opposition protests, with several lawmakers tearing copies of the proposed bills and shouting from the Well of the House, prompting multiple adjournments.

In the ensuing exchanges, Congress MP KC Venugopal invoked the 2010 Sohrabuddin Sheikh case to question the government’s morality, prompting a swift rebuttal from Shah who reminded the House that he had resigned from his ministerial post before any arrest and had waited for acquittal before resuming constitutional duties. The confrontation underscored the political sensitivity surrounding the bills, which were introduced as a package comprising the Constitution One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories Amendment Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Amendment Bill, 2025. As the introduction unfolded, several...