BJP issues three-line whip to Rajya Sabha MPs

New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha MPs on Wednesday, asking them to be present in the House on Thursday and support the Government's stand.
The two Houses of Parliament have witnessed uproar over the opposition demand for a debate on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. While the IIM (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the government introduced three bills, including a constitution amendment bill, in the Lok Sabha. The IIM (Amendment) Bill was earlier passed by Lok Sabha.
Amit Shah introduced in the Lok Sabha the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, to further amend the Constitution of India and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, apart from the bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The bills were sent to joint committee of Parliament.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025 seeks to amend section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, to provide a legal framework for the removal of the Chief Minister or a Minister in case of arrest or detention in custody on account of serious criminal charges.
The Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to remove the Prime Minister or Chief Ministers from their posts if they face allegations of corruption or serious offences and have been detained for 30 consecutive days.
Amit Shah said in post on X that on account of the Modi government's commitment to restoring moral standards in politics and in view of the public resentment towards the menace, today with the Lok Sabha speaker's permission, he tabled constitutional amendment bills that will prevent people from holding important constitutional positions like Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Union or State Minister while in jail.
"The purpose is to elevate the declining moral standards and maintaining integrity in politics. The three bills will bring into effect the following regulations: 1. No person who is arrested and in jail can function as Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister in the Union or State Government. 2. When the Constitution was framed, its makers could not have imagined that in the future, political leaders would refuse to resign on moral grounds even after being arrested," he said.
"In recent years, the country has witnessed shocking instances where chief ministers or ministers continued to run governments from jail without resigning. 3. The bills also provide that an accused politician must obtain bail within 30 days of arrest. If they fail to secure bail within 30 days, then on the 31st day, either the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister will have to remove them; otherwise, by law, they will cease to remain eligible to function," he added.
Amit Shah said once granted bail through due legal process, such leaders may be reinstated to their positions.
"Now the people of the country need to decide: Is it right for a minister, chief minister, or prime minister to run a government from jail?" he said. (ANI)