Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to introduce three important bills in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday — 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.
These legislations, along with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, are part of the revised agenda for the day. All three are expected to be referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament.
The J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 seeks to amend Section 54 of the 2019 Act to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention on serious criminal charges.
According to the bill’s statement of objects and reasons, elected representatives are expected to act above political interests and uphold constitutional morality. However, the existing law does not have provisions for removing a CM or minister facing detention on grave criminal allegations.
The proposed amendment inserts a new Section (5A), under which:
A Minister arrested and held for 30 consecutive days on charges punishable with five years or more in prison shall be removed from office by the Lieutenant Governor, on the Chief Minister’s advice. If no advice is given, the Minister automatically ceases to hold office from the 31st day.
A Chief Minister in similar circumstances must resign within 30 days of arrest, failing which he shall cease to be CM from the following day.
The amendment also clarifies that such leaders may be reappointed after release.
Opposition leaders have strongly criticised the move. Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi called it a “vicious circle,” alleging it could be used to destabilise opposition governments through politically motivated arrests. Gaurav Gogoi termed the bills a “desperate attempt” to distract from Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing Vote Adhikar Yatra.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien also slammed the government, accusing it of resorting to “stunts in the dead of night” to disrupt Parliament.
The monsoon session has already seen repeated disruptions over opposition protests regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. (Agencies)
