Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to introduce three bills in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, including the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, which provides for the removal of a Central or State Minister detained for at least 30 days on charges of corruption or serious offences.
“A Minister, who for any period of 30 consecutive days during holding the office as such, is arrested and detained in custody, on allegation of committing an offence under any law for the time being in force, which is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or more, shall be removed from his office by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister to be tendered by the 31st day after being taken in such custody,” the Bill states.
According to the List of Business, Shah will also table the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The Home Minister will move to refer the bills to a Joint Committee of Parliament comprising 21 members of the Lok Sabha and 10 members of the Rajya Sabha.
The proposed amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, seeks to create a legal framework for the removal of a Chief Minister or Minister if arrested or detained on serious criminal charges. It states that ministers facing such charges undermine constitutional morality and public trust, and therefore should vacate office after 30 days of custody.
Under the new provision, a minister detained for 30 consecutive days for an offence punishable with five years or more will automatically cease to hold office if not removed by the Chief Minister’s advice within the stipulated period. In the case of a Chief Minister, failure to resign within 31 days of custody will lead to automatic cessation of office. The amendment, however, allows them to be reappointed upon release.
Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw will introduce the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, aimed at prohibiting online money games operating across state or foreign jurisdictions. The bill seeks to protect youth and vulnerable groups from adverse social, economic and psychological effects, ensure responsible digital use, safeguard financial systems and uphold public order.
(With ANI inputs)