India may soon witness a historic shift in governance if the new bills are passed in Parliament. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce the three bills on Wednesday, aiming to bring stricter rules for ministers facing legal troubles.
According to the proposed bills, a Prime Minister, Chief Minister or Minister will automatically lose their chair on the 31st day if they are under arrest and denied bail for 30 days. At present, there is no such removal provision.
Currently, under the Representation of the People’s Act, a minister can be removed only if convicted and sentenced to more than two years in prison. The new Constitution Amendment Bill changes this by ensuring automatic removal if custody extends beyond 30 days for an offence carrying over five years of punishment.
This move will bring ministers on par with IAS officers, who are suspended immediately upon arrest. Even without conviction, leaders can be unseated. However, they can be re-appointed if found not guilty, with approval from the President or Governor.
The three bills include the Constitution Amendment (130th) Bill, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025. These provisions will also apply to Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territories.
The opposition has strongly criticised the proposal, calling it draconian. They argue it could be misused in states ruled by opposition parties. Concerns are also being raised about the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), under which many leaders have already been arrested and denied bail for 30 days by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
While the Centre argues the move will help curb institutionalised corruption, the opposition is preparing for a possible legal battle. The debate around this bill is likely to spark intense political discussions in the coming days.
