NEW DELHI — A parliamentary committee tasked with finalizing a bill to automatically remove prime ministers, chief ministers, and cabinet members after 30 days in judicial custody has suspended its work, citing an urgent need for "more consultations." The sudden deferral occurred shortly after the panel had already begun voting on the recommendations.

Introduced by the Home Ministry in August 2025, the legislation was intended to address a "vacuum" in which public functionaries continue holding office during prolonged incarceration. However, as the draft report neared final adoption, several ruling party members voted against the key proposals, leading to a decision to halt the process entirely in the name of a "national cause."

"We are fully dedicated to addressing the lack of accountability when a leader goes to prison," said one committee member. "But as we began to actually vote on the rules, it became clear that automatically firing incarcerated politicians is a complex issue requiring far more consultation than we had initially scheduled."

By deferring the draft, the panel ensures the bill will avoid debate during the upcoming Monsoon session, which runs from July 20 to August 13. "The current system, where no automatic removal mechanism exists, maintains necessary stability," an official noted, returning the unadopted draft reports to a filing cabinet. "We remain completely committed to rigorous accountability, provided we don't rush into a mechanism that might inadvertently apply to anyone currently in power."