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JPC Starts Public Hearings on Bill to Bar Criminally-Charged PMs, CMs

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will hold its first public hearing tomorrow on the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill. The bill seeks to remove Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, and other ministers who face serious criminal charges carrying potential imprisonment of five years or more. Committee Chairperson Aparajita Sarangi emphasized the desire for wide stakeholder input, including from legal experts and universities. The JPC, formed in November 2025, is also reviewing related bills on Jammu and Kashmir reorganisation and Union Territories.

Key Points: JPC Public Hearing on Bill to Remove Charged PMs, CMs

  • Public hearings start tomorrow
  • Bill targets PMs/CMs with serious charges
  • Aims to restore constitutional morality
  • JPC reviewing three related bills
3 min read

130th Amendment Bill: JPC starts people's hearing tomorrow, seeks wide input

Joint Parliamentary Committee begins public hearings on the 130th Amendment Bill, which seeks to remove PMs and CMs facing serious criminal charges.

"We want to talk to as many people and organisations as possible. - Aparajita Sarangi"

New Delhi, January 6

Aparajita Sarangi, BJP MP and Chairperson of the 31-member Parliamentary Joint Committee, announced the third meeting of the committee reviewing the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, along with related bills on J-K Reorganisation and Union Territories.

The 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill is scheduled for its first public hearing tomorrow, during which the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will gather stakeholder feedback. The bill aims to remove Ministers, including Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers, who face serious criminal charges carrying imprisonment of 5+ years and detention for 30+ days.

The committee invited the Law Commission of India and the VCs of the National Law University, Delhi, and NALSAR University, Hyderabad, to present their views.

"We want to talk to as many people and organisations as possible," Sarangi said. The bill's objective is to restore "constitutional morality" and ensure accountability of elected representatives.

Chairperson, Justice (Retd.) Dinesh Maheshwari, Law Commission of India, New Delhi, Member-Secretary, Anju Rathi Rana, Law Commission of India, New Delhi, Vice Chancellor, G.S. Bajpai, National Law University, New Delhi, and Vice Chancellor, Krishna Deva Rao NALSAR, Hyderabad, to present views.

Earlier, on December 7, the JPC held its second meeting and conducted comprehensive deliberations on the bill's provisions. The MHA and Law Ministry presented standpoints; MPs raised 25 observations. Key demands: evidence-based justification for bills and international precedents. The MHA got 4 weeks to respond.

The bills aim to remove Ministers, including PM/CMs facing serious criminal charges, 5+ years imprisonment, detained 30+ days, restoring "constitutional morality. The JPC, formed on November 12, 2025, will review these.

Three Bills namely, The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 were introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 20 and have been referred to a Joint Committee of both the Houses which seek to provide for removal of the Prime Minister or a Minister in the Union Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister or a Minister in the Council of Ministers of States and UTs facing serious criminal charges which are punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 5 years or more and are arrested and detained in custody for more than 30 days, to repose Constitutional morality and faith of the people entrusted on them.

A 31-member Parliamentary Joint Committee, headed by BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, was constituted on November 12, 2025, to review three Bills seeking to remove Ministers of the Union and State governments, including the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, who face serious criminal charges.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Finally! "Constitutional morality" should not just be a phrase in textbooks. Our leaders must be held to the highest standards. I hope the JPC listens to the common people and not just legal experts. The voice of the aam aadmi matters most.
A
Aman W
Good initiative but implementation is key. What stops false cases from being filed just to disqualify a rival? The law must have very strong safeguards against political misuse. Otherwise, it will become another tool for vendetta politics.
P
Priyanka N
Along with this, we need faster courts! A case can drag on for 10-15 years. By the time there is a conviction, the damage is done. Justice delayed is justice denied. Speedy trials for public representatives should be a priority.
D
David E
As an observer of Indian democracy, this seems like a progressive move. Many democracies have similar provisions to maintain the integrity of the executive. Gathering wide input is the right way to go. Hope it leads to a robust law.
K
Kavitha C
Why is this being clubbed with bills on J-K and UTs? Each issue is complex and deserves separate, focused discussion. Feels like important legislation is being rushed. The committee must give each bill the time it needs.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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