What is the opposition’s biggest concern regarding the automatic removal of PMs and CMs after 30 days of custodial detention?

The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill mandates resignation after 30 days in custody for serious crimes. Opposition calls it a political weapon targeting non-BJP leaders, causing uproar in Parliament. New bill mandating automatic removal after 30-day custody sparks fears of targeted arrests against opposition leaders, triggering parliamentary uproar and allegations of democratic subversion.

New Delhi: In the monsoon session of Parliament on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced three important bills, of which the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill was the most discussed.

The main objective of this bill is said to be to increase transparency and accountability in the country. Under this, new rules have been proposed for the prime minister, chief minister, and ministers.

The most important provision of the bill is that if a minister, chief minister, or prime minister is arrested for a serious crime that carries a sentence of five years or more, and he remains in custody for 30 consecutive days, he will have to step down from his post on the 31st day. In the case of the Prime Minister, he will have to resign himself; otherwise, he will be considered automatically relieved of his post.

This provision will be implemented by amending Article 75 (Union Council of Ministers), Article 164 (State Council of Ministers), and Article 239AA (Union Territories like Delhi) of the Constitution.

Opposition berates the bill in the Parliament

The opposition fiercely opposed these bills. They alleged that these bills are part of the government's political conspiracy to destabilize the governments of non-BJP-ruled states and target opposition leaders. The protest was so intense that some opposition MPs tore copies of the bills and threw them towards the Home Minister, leading to chaos in the House.

The government argues that this step will strengthen good governance, morality, and democratic values, as it is not appropriate for a person in jail to remain a minister or chief minister. However, the opposition has strongly opposed this bill. They allege that this bill can become a political weapon to target opposition leaders.

Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that removing someone from the post on the basis of arrest without completing the judicial process is dangerous. He alleged that the leaders of the ruling party get exemptions while the opposition leaders are targeted.

There has already been controversy over the arrest of leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren in the past. In such a situation, this bill can further increase the political confrontation. The bill is currently in the discussion stage and is likely to be sent to the parliamentary committee.