Opposition plans to avoid parliamentary panel on bills removing leaders under arrest

Congress should stay away from Parliament’s joint committee examining the three bills aimed at impeaching top government officials arrested for 30 consecutive days on serious charges, party sources said Monday.

They said the party’s decision may soon be communicated to the Lok Sabha Speaker.

At least three parties – Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Aam Aadmi Party – have said they will not be part of the committee. The Samajwadi Party has hinted that it supports the view that the opposition should be united in not joining the panel. Some opposition parties have not made their positions public, but none have expressed willingness to join the panel.

Earlier this month, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had said that no political party had written to him to boycott the joint committee of Parliament examining the three bills.

“On the issue of JPC, no political party has communicated to me in writing on this,” Birla had told reporters.

On the last day of the monsoon session, Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the three bills in the Lok Sabha: the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill; the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill.

The proposed laws seek removal of the Prime Minister, chief ministers and ministers arrested for 30 consecutive days on serious charges.

These bills have drawn strong protests from the entire opposition, calling them unconstitutional and aimed at targeting its ruling leaders in different states.

The House has sent the bills to a joint committee of Parliament, which will have 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha, for consideration, but the panel is yet to be formed.