Bills To Remove PM, CMs In Case Of Arrest: Centre Announces Joint Panel Sans Congress, TMC, DMK

Last Updated:November 12, 2025, 20:10 IST

After multiple attempts to reach out to the Opposition parties, the government finally announced the committee without members of the Congress, DMK, and TMC.

BJP MP from Bhubaneswar Aparajita Sarangi has been picked to lead the committee. (PTI)

The Central government on Wednesday announced members of the joint Parliamentary committee that will scrutinise the bills on removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and Union/state cabinet ministers, if they are arrested or detained for 30 days straight on serious charges.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had introduced the legislations – The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — in the Lok Sabha during the last monsoon session. The Bill seeks to ensure that governments are not run from jail.

After the introduction, the Centre decided to send it for Parliamentary scrutiny.

Several members in the opposition had opposed the legislations. Parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) refused to even be part of the committee.

After multiple attempts to reach out to the Opposition parties, the government finally announced the committee without members of the Congress, DMK, and TMC.

Who is on the committee?

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bhubaneswar Aparajita Sarangi has been picked to lead the committee. Several senior leaders from the BJP, including Ravi Shankar Prasad and Anurag Singh Thakur, are part of the panel.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has listed its Lok Sabha MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu to be part of this committee. Other alliance partners have also been included, including Dhairyasheel Mane from Shinde Sena.

Among the leaders from the opposition who are part of this committee include Supriya Sule from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Asaduddin Owaisi from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Former Union Minister and Akali leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal is also part of this committee.

What is the current law? What is the change?

In India, the current law under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, provides for disqualification only upon conviction in specific cases. Custody during trial does not automatically remove a legislator from office. The proposed 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill seeks to address this gap for executive office-holders — Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Ministers — by mandating their automatic removal if they remain in jail for 30 consecutive days.

What is the norm across the world?

In the United Kingdom, ministers are expected to resign if charged with a serious offence. While not a legal requirement, the practice is largely enforced through political and public pressure.

In the United States, federal and state office-holders can be compelled to step down only after conviction, though indictments often lead to resignations under pressure from the public or their parties.

In Pakistan, the Constitution disqualifies anyone convicted of crimes involving “moral turpitude", and courts have, in the past, barred leaders from contesting elections while under investigation.

News india Bills To Remove PM, CMs In Case Of Arrest: Centre Announces Joint Panel Sans Congress, TMC, DMK

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