Amit Shah Uses Kejriwal Example to Defend Bills Enabling Ouster of Jailed Ministers

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday cited the case of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

While defending three bills that mandate the removal of any prime minister, chief minister or minister who spends 30 consecutive days in jail. Pointing to Kejriwal’s continued hold on office despite being in custody, Shah asked whether the Constitution should be amended to stop such practices. “Recently, a CM was running the government from jail. Should the Constitution be amended or not?” his office posted on X.

Kejriwal, arrested in March last year in the alleged Delhi liquor scam, became the first sitting CM to be jailed while in office.

Shah maintained that the bills are not aimed at any particular leader. “In a democracy, morality must be upheld by both the ruling and opposition parties. This law will apply to BJP CMs and even the PM,” he said, questioning whether citizens would accept governance from jail.

The three bills — the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — were introduced in Parliament earlier this week. They propose that any PM, CM or minister jailed for 30 days in a case carrying a minimum punishment of five years will automatically be removed from office on the 31st day by the President or Governor.