Centre introduces bills for removal of PM, CMs and ministers held on serious criminal charges

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday introduced three bills in the Lok Sabha that propose the automatic removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers who are “arrested and detained in custody on account of serious criminal charges”.

The three bills are the Constitution 130th Amendment Bill, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Amendment Bill and the Government of Union Territories Amendment Bill. As the first of these is a constitutional amendment, it will need to be passed by a two-thirds majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The bills allow for the removal of the prime minister, and chief ministers and ministers of Union Territories or states arrested for 30 consecutive days on the charges of committing an offence punishable with imprisonment for five years or more, The Hindu reported.

The removal would come into effect from the 31st day of their arrest and detention, as per the bills. The arrested minister could be reinstated once they are released from custody.

Stormy scenes in Parliament

The Lok Sabha saw stormy scenes, with MPs from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress even coming close to a scuffle in the well of the Lower House, when the bills were introduced by Shah on Wednesday, The Indian Express reported.

Opposition MPs shouted slogans as soon as Shah rose to introduce...

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