PM Modi Backs Bill to Remove Ministers Jailed for 30 Days

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday defended the recently introduced constitutional amendment bill that empowers the Centre to remove any minister who is jailed.

Speaking at a rally in Gayaji, Bihar, Modi compared the rule to government service regulations:

“If a government employee is imprisoned for 50 hours, then he is suspended automatically—be it a driver, a clerk, or a peon. But a CM, a Minister, or even a PM can continue in office from jail. Why should this rule be different?”

Modi stressed that the NDA government’s anti-corruption law applies to everyone, including the Prime Minister himself. “Some time ago, we saw how files were being signed from jail and orders issued from behind bars. If leaders have such an attitude, how can we fight corruption?” he said.

The Contentious Bills

On Tuesday, Home Minister Amit Shah introduced three bills in the Lok Sabha, including the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025. The bill proposes removing the Prime Minister or chief ministers facing corruption or serious offence charges if they remain in detention for 30 consecutive days.

Shah also tabled the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The Opposition has strongly opposed the legislation, arguing that since the bills allow action based on detention without proven guilt, they could be misused by the Centre against political rivals through agencies like the ED and CBI.

A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will now examine the bills and submit its report by the end of the first week of the next Parliament session, expected in late November.