Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said no party had officially signaled a boycott. The Bills, introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah, include the UT, Constitution 130th, and J&K Reorganisation Amendments

New Delhi

Congress is expected to stay away from the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) set up to examine three Bills that propose removing top government officials, including the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers, if they remain under arrest for 30 consecutive days on serious charges, party sources said on Monday. The party is likely to inform the Lok Sabha Speaker of its decision soon.

So far, at least three parties—Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Aam Aadmi Party—have announced they will not join the committee. The Samajwadi Party has hinted at supporting a united opposition stance against participation, while other opposition parties have not publicly shared their position. None have shown willingness to join.

Earlier this month, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had stated that no political party had formally communicated their intention to boycott the committee. The Bills—introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah on the final day of the Monsoon Session—include the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill.

The opposition has strongly protested the Bills, calling them unconstitutional and accusing the government of targeting its leaders. The Bills were referred to a joint parliamentary committee, which will consist of 21 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members for detailed scrutiny. However, the panel has yet to be formed, and the debate over participation continues among opposition parties.