Government Set to Introduce Three Major Bills in Parliament on Removal of Leaders Facing Grave Criminal Charges

National News: The central government is preparing to place three major bills before Parliament today. These bills aim to bring a uniform rule that will allow the removal of the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, and Chief Ministers or Ministers of Union Territories if they face arrest or detention on serious criminal charges.

Currently, there are no clear legal provisions in the Constitution or related acts to deal with such situations. This gap in the law has often been debated, and the government now wants to fill it through amendments. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also expected to move a proposal in the Lok Sabha to send all three bills to a Joint Committee of Parliament for wider discussion.

The Three Proposed Bills

The three bills likely to be introduced are:

• Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025
• Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025

Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Each bill targets a specific gap in the current laws but focuses on the same concern—ensuring that any leader facing serious criminal cases cannot continue to hold a top government position while being in custody.

Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The Government of Union Territories Act was passed in 1963 to define the powers of chief ministers and ministers in union territories. However, under this law, there is no rule that says a chief minister or minister should step down if arrested in a serious criminal matter. The amendment now proposes to include such a clause. This would make it compulsory for a leader to vacate office if taken into custody under grave charges.

Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025

The second bill is considered the most important, as it deals directly with the Constitution. According to the government, the Constitution currently does not provide a clear system for the removal of a prime minister, union minister, or even chief ministers of states and Delhi in case they are arrested on serious criminal charges. To address this, the government wants to make changes in three key articles—Article 75 (Prime Minister and Union Council of Ministers), Article 164 (State Chief Ministers and Ministers), and Article 239AA (special provisions for Delhi).

Once amended, the law would clearly state that any leader under custody for criminal offenses of a grave nature cannot continue in office.

Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The third bill focuses on Jammu and Kashmir. After the abrogation of Article 370, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed in 2019 to define its governance structure. But, like the other laws, it also lacks provisions to remove a chief minister or minister if they are arrested. The government now proposes to amend Section 54 of the Act so that J&K leaders too can be removed under such circumstances.

Why These Bills Matter

The introduction of these bills is seen as a major step towards accountability and clean governance. Supporters of the move argue that it will prevent misuse of power and ensure that no leader accused of grave crimes continues to run the government while in jail. Critics, however, may debate whether the law could be misused for political gains.

Still, if passed, these amendments will create a uniform rule across the country, covering the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, State Chief Ministers, and Ministers of both states and Union Territories. With this, the government is aiming to set a legal benchmark for political ethics and responsibility.