The Congress party is likely to stay away from the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) tasked with examining three contentious Bills that propose the removal of top government functionaries arrested for 30 consecutive days on serious charges. This decision, according to party sources, is expected to be officially communicated to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla shortly.
Joining Congress, at least three other opposition parties—the Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Aam Aadmi Party—have already declared their intentions to abstain from the committee work. The Samajwadi Party has similarly signaled its support for a united opposition boycott. While a few parties are still deliberating, none have shown readiness to participate in the committee.
Earlier this month, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla remarked that no political party had officially communicated with him regarding a planned boycott of the JPC. He stated,
“On the issue of JPC, no political party has communicated to me in writing on this subject,”
emphasizing the need for formal notifications.
The contentious bills, introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah during the last day of the Monsoon Session, include the:
- Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill
- Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill
- Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill
The proposed legislation aims to facilitate the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and other ministers if they face arrest for 30 consecutive days on serious charges. This introduction has spurred fierce opposition protests, with parties labeling these bills unconstitutional and accusing the government of using them as political tools to target opposition leaders in various states.
As it stands, the JPC has yet to take shape following the referral of these Bills for scrutiny by Parliament. The committee is expected to consist of 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha, though its formation is pending.
