The Congress party is likely to stay away from the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) tasked with reviewing three contentious Bills aimed at removing high-ranking government officials arrested for 30 consecutive days on serious charges. Party sources confirmed the decision on Monday, indicating that the formal communication to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla would occur soon.
Alongside Congress, at least three other opposition parties — the Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Aam Aadmi Party — have announced their refusal to participate in the committee. Moreover, the Samajwadi Party has shown support for a united opposition boycott. While several parties remain uncommitted, none have expressed an intention to join the committee.
Earlier this month, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stated that no political party had formally communicated a boycott of the JPC. He noted,
“On the issue of JPC, no political party has communicated to me in writing on this subject,”
signaling the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the opposition’s stance.
The backdrop to this developing story includes the introduction of three crucial Bills in the Lok Sabha by Home Minister Amit Shah on the last day of the Monsoon Session. These Bills include the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill.
These proposed legislations allow for the removal of key figures such as the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and other ministers should they face arrest for 30 consecutive days on serious charges. The introduction of these Bills triggered fierce protests from the opposition, who labeled the Bills as unconstitutional and politically motivated to target opposition leaders across various states.
The House referred the Bills for a thorough examination to a joint committee of Parliament. This committee is expected to consist of 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha, but as of now, it has yet to be formed. The ongoing deliberations and potential boycott from major political factions raise critical questions about the parliamentary procedure and the democratic principles at stake.
