New Delhi, August 20, 2025: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday descended into chaos as Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, which seeks to create a legal framework to remove a prime minister, chief ministers, and other ministers from office if they remain under arrest and detention for 30 consecutive days on charges of serious criminal offences.
The proposal, billed as a move to uphold “morality in public life,” immediately triggered resistance from opposition parties, leading to one of the stormiest sessions of the current Parliament.
As soon as Shah rose to move the Bill around 2 p.m., opposition MPs led by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kalyan Banerjee rushed into the Well of the House. They shouted slogans, tore copies of the Bill, and hurled the papers towards the treasury benches — some landing near the Home Minister himself. The disruption forced the presiding officer to adjourn proceedings until 3 p.m.
Witnesses said the situation grew tense when MPs Anurag Thakur, Ravneet Singh Bittu and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju positioned themselves in front of Shah to shield him from the advancing MPs. Meanwhile, both opposition and ruling party members traded charges, calling each other “chor, chor” (thief). Torn papers littered the aisles and the Well as the adjournment was announced.
Even after the House was suspended, opposition members continued shouting inside the chamber, with confrontations narrowly avoiding physical clashes.
Despite the uproar, Shah succeeded in formally introducing the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, along with related amendments for Jammu and Kashmir and other Union Territories. The government said the measures are designed to ensure that individuals facing prolonged detention in serious criminal cases cannot continue to hold high public office.
Shah announced that a joint parliamentary committee would be set up to scrutinise the Bills. The panel will include 21 members of the Lok Sabha and 10 of the Rajya Sabha, and is expected to present its report on the opening day of the winter session later this year.
When the House reconvened at 3 p.m., opposition MPs — including those from the Congress, TMC and Samajwadi Party — again stormed into the Well, ignoring Speaker Om Birla’s appeals for order.
Some lawmakers, including former Union minister and Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, stood on their chairs, raising slogans against the government’s attempt to push through the amendment. TMC MPs Mahua Moitra and Kalyan Banerjee remained in the Well, preventing Shah from making further remarks on the legislation.
Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla was seen banging against the Speaker’s chair panel in protest. The opposition’s unrelenting disruption once again forced Speaker Birla to adjourn proceedings, warning MPs against eroding the dignity of Parliament.
BJP MPs later demanded the suspension of opposition members accused of tearing up official papers and disrupting proceedings. Senior leaders argued that such conduct amounted to “serious disrespect” of parliamentary procedure.
Meanwhile, Speaker Birla convened a meeting of senior BJP and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders in his chamber to discuss whether disciplinary action should be taken against the opposition MPs.
The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill seeks to provide a legal mechanism for the removal of top executive functionaries — including the prime minister, Union ministers, chief ministers, and state ministers — if they are arrested and remain in detention for 30 consecutive days for grave criminal offences.
Currently, the law allows MPs and MLAs convicted of certain offences to be disqualified from the legislature, but it does not specifically deal with removal from executive office in cases of prolonged detention without conviction.
The government has projected the amendment as a step towards ensuring “morality in public life” and preventing individuals facing serious criminal proceedings from continuing to occupy top posts.
Opposition parties, however, view the move as politically motivated, arguing that the government could misuse such provisions to target its rivals. Leaders said that the haste in introducing the Bill, coupled with the deployment of heavy marshals inside Parliament, reflected the ruling party’s intent to push through controversial legislation without consensus.
Congress, TMC, and several regional party MPs raised concerns that the proposed amendment could be weaponised against elected leaders during periods of political unrest.
With the Bill now referred to a joint parliamentary committee, the coming weeks are expected to see intense debate on its provisions. The committee will hold consultations before submitting its report in the winter session. Until then, the political temperature in Parliament is unlikely to cool.
