The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) looks set to retain the controversial provision to remove any minister, chief minister and even the Prime Minister if the lawmaker is in police or judicial custody for 30 days, people familiar with the matter said .Lok Sabha proceedings underway during the second part of the Budget Session of Parliament in New Delhi. (File Image/Sansad TV)The BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi-led committee met in Delhi on Wednesday and decided to adopt the report on July 17, the people said. The planned adoption also means that the bill can be passed in the upcoming monsoon session, which starts in July.But some lawmakers expressed serious reservation about the provision of removal of ministers and pointed out that the law can become handy for the ruling establishment as a Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita provision allows detention without trial for up to 90 days.The controversial 130th Constitution Amendment Bill, introduced in 2025, and its two subsidiary legislations mandate the automatic removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Union or State ministers from office if they are arrested and remain in judicial custody for 30 consecutive days in cases involving serious offences.In Wednesday’s meeting, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi argued that the bill can be misused to remove three Opposition chief ministers DK Shivakumar, Revanth Reddy and Hemant Soren who are out on bail.While one deponent suggested creating a supervisory committee, Owaisi questioned the move and pointed out how BNS and PMLA have been armed to allow long detention. He argued that this can also become a tool for the government to arm-twist opposition leaders.In the meeting, another deponent pointed out to the resignation of Keir Starmer but Owaisi and other MPs pointed out that Starmer resigned because of electoral losses and not for any corruption charges.According to people familiar with the matter, “a meeting of the committee was held today and called again on 17th July. The committee is unlikely to recommend dropping the contentious clause despite concerns raised by several stakeholders during deliberations. However, the report is expected to include safeguards aimed at preventing the provision from being misused for political vendetta or motivated prosecutions.”