Will strive for representation from all parties in par committee on 3 home ministry Bills: Om Birla

Bhubaneswar, Aug 30 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said he will strive to ensure that the joint committee of Parliament, which will scrutinise the three contentious Bills proposing removal of top government functionaries arrested for 30 consecutive days, has representation from different parties in line with the best traditions of parliamentary panels.

With several opposition parties ruling out joining the committee, which is yet to be formed, Birla told reporters here that he will discuss the matter with all the political parties.

He said all the political parties have been asked to submit the names of their representatives, asserting that the committee will be formed soon.

Parliamentary committees work above the political divide and members can freely express themselves in these panels, he said.

"My effort will be to maintain the best traditions. Will will talk and discuss with all the political parties," Birla said after the conclusion of a national conference of chairpersons of committees of Parliament and state legislatures on the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Home Minister Amit Shah on August 20 introduced the three bills in Lok Sabha -- the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025; the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025.

The proposed laws call for the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers under arrest for 30 consecutive days on serious charges.

The Bills ignited fierce protest from the entire opposition, which claimed they were unconstitutional and aimed at targeting its leaders in power in different states.

The House sent the Bills to a joint committee of Parliament, which will have 21 members from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha, for scrutiny, but the panel has not been formed yet.

At least three parties -- Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Aam Aadmi Party -- have declared that they will not be part of the committee.

While the Congress is yet to take a final decision, the Samajwadi Party has hinted at supporting the view that the Opposition should be united in not joining the panel. PTI KR ARI