NEW DELHI:
The parliamentary committee looking at the bill to remove the prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers who are arrested on serious charges decided on Thursday to invite opposition parties, who had boycotted the panel in protest, to share their ideas.
sources said. The committee headed by BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi held its first meeting, and, according to her, all members agreed on the need for the “decriminalisation of politics”.
She added that the panel would ensure “wide-ranging discussion” with all stakeholders. The constitutional amendment bill proposes that PMs, CMs, and ministers cease to hold office if they are in detention for 30 consecutive days on serious criminal charges. Opposition parties, such as Congress, SP, TMC, and DMK, have declined to join the joint parliamentary committee, asserting that the bill can be used to target state governments for political reasons.
The committee has resolved to initiate contact with these parties. It will also be visiting states and speaking to different stakeholders, including leaders of the opposition, the sources said.
The panel will be speaking to constitutional experts and lawyers’ bodies as well. In the meeting, sources said, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi cited different criminal laws, including BNS Section 187, which allows detention of an accused for 90 days, as well as PMLA, to argue against the proposed law.
Another JPC, which is scrutinising the constitutional amendment bill for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections, met on Thursday, with Law Commission chairperson Dinesh Maheshwari, a former SC judge, endorsing the proposed law.
He rejected the contention that it was against the basic structure of the Constitution and federalism. Opposition MPs, including Congress’s Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, raised questions about the provisions.
The commission will be submitting its views on the queries raised by members, sources said. The scheduled speakers include the EC, former CJI BR Gavai, opposition MP and noted lawyer Kapil Sibal, and economists Gita Gopinath and Sanjeev Sanyal.
