‘Draconian’: Opposition on bills for removal of PM, CMs and ministers held on criminal charges

The Opposition on Wednesday described three bills that propose the automatic removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers arrested on account of serious criminal charges as “draconian” and “squarely destructive”.

During the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the three bills – the Constitution 130th Amendment Bill, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Amendment Bill and the Government of Union Territories Amendment Bill – in the Lok Sabha amid a ruckus.

The bills allow for the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers of Union Territories or states if they have been under arrest for 30 consecutive days on charges of committing an offence punishable with imprisonment for five years or more.

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

The bills were sent to a joint parliamentary committee for scrutiny. The committee has MPs from all parties.

Commenting on the bills, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that it was “completely draconian”, ANI reported.

“To say it as an anti-corruption measure is just to pull a veil across the eyes of the people,” Vadra told reporters. “Tomorrow, you can put any kind of a case on a CM, have him arrested for 30 days without...

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