New Delhi, Jan 10: The Joint Parliamentary Committee constituted to examine three bills, including the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, has invited memoranda from the public and stakeholders containing views and suggestions.

The memoranda have also been invited on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The Committee, chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Aparajita Sarangi, has called for written submissions from the public in general and from NGOs, experts, stakeholders and institutions in particular.

“Those interested in submitting memoranda or suggestions may send two copies, in English or Hindi, to the Additional Secretary (DR), Lok Sabha Secretariat, Room No. 018, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi-110001, within 15 days of the advertisement’s publication. Submissions may also be sent via email at jcca-utbcell@lss.sansad.in. The contact numbers provided are 23035743 and 23034335,” Lok Sabha Secretariat said in a statement.

The Committee stated that all memoranda and suggestions received would form part of its official records and would be treated as “confidential”, with the same privileges as the Committee.

“Individuals or organisations wishing to appear before the Committee, in addition to submitting written memoranda, have been asked to indicate their willingness specifically. However, the final decision regarding appearances will rest with the Committee,” the statement read.

The 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill aims to remove Ministers, including Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers, who face serious criminal charges carrying imprisonment of 5+ years and detention for 30+ days.

Earlier, the committee had invited the Law Commission of India and the VCs of the National Law University, Delhi, and NALSAR University, Hyderabad, to present their views.

On December 7, the JPC held its second meeting and conducted comprehensive deliberations on the bill’s provisions. The MHA and Law Ministry presented standpoints; MPs raised 25 observations. Key demands: evidence-based justification for bills and international precedents.
The MHA got 4 weeks to respond.

Three Bills, namely, the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, were introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 20 and have been referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses.

A 31-member Parliamentary Joint Committee, headed by Aparajita Sarangi, was constituted on November 12, 2025, to review three Bills seeking to remove Ministers of the Union and State governments, including the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers, who face serious criminal charges.

New Delhi, Jan 10: The Supreme Court of India, refused to interfere with a Jammu and Kashmir High Court judgment directing the completion of a long-pending recruitment process for Jail Warders advertised nearly two decades ago.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta dismissed the special leave petition (SLP) filed by the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was “not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgment and order passed by the High Court”. “The Special Leave Petition(s) are, accordingly, dismissed,” the Justice Nath-led Bench said, while disposing of all pending applications.

The SLP arose from a December 21, 2023, judgment of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, which had upheld an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) setting aside the cancellation of the 2005 recruitment process for 73 posts of Warders in the Prisons Department.

In its detailed judgment, the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court had pulled up the authorities for cancelling the recruitment process after it had substantially progressed and for keeping the posts vacant for several years. A Bench of Justices Tashi Rabstan and Rajesh Sekhri noted that pursuant to recruitment advertisement, eligible candidates had applied and subsequently cleared physical and outdoor tests conducted in 2010, followed by literacy tests and document verification in January 2011. Despite this, the final results were never declared.

The Justice Rabstan-led Bench had observed that the authorities had “kept the matter lingering on for more than 13 years” and ultimately cancelled the entire selection process in February 2019 by invoking alleged procedural irregularities. Rejecting the government’s stand, the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court noted that even the Department of Law had twice advised that once the selection process had advanced to such a stage, it could not be withdrawn.

“Once the selection process has almost been completed, the petitioners-authorities were not expected to act arbitrarily in cancelling the same, that too after such a long period when the posts are still lying vacant since the year 2005,” it had said. The Justice Rabstan-led Bench further held that any procedural irregularities, if at all, could have been rectified without cancelling the entire process, observing that there was no allegation of illegality, malpractice or use of unfair means by candidates.

Taking note of the plight of aspirants who had been waiting for nearly two decades, the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court directed the authorities to complete the selection process within three months and adopt a “sympathetic view”, as most candidates had crossed the age bar and “have no scope to get another job as the posts were advertised in the year 2005”.

Senior advocate Dr Anindita Pujari, briefed by Adil Muneer Andrabi and Piyush Dwivedi (Advocates on record at Supreme Court), and Shaileshwar Yadav, Aushaq Hussain and Shahnaza Akhtar represented 172 candidates before the apex court.

Following the Supreme Court’s refusal to interfere in the matter, the directions of the J&K and Ladakh High Court have attained finality, thereby clearing the way for the completion of the long-stalled recruitment process in the Jammu & Kashmir Prisons Department. (KDC)

Pune, Jan 10: Operation Sindoor compelled Pakistan to undertake constitutional amendments, which is an acknowledgement that things did not go well for the neighbouring nation, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has said.

Discussing the progress of the proposed joint theatre commands in India, Chauhan stated on Friday that the Union government has granted an extension for completing the exercise until May 30, 2026. However, the armed forces are working to put the structure in place well before the deadline.

Calling it one of his key responsibilities, General Chauhan said the process is now in its final stages.

Addressing the Pune Public Policy Festival, the CDS said Operation Sindoor is only on pause.

“The changes which have been brought about in Pakistan, including the constitutional amendment done hurriedly, are actually an acknowledgement of the fact that everything didn’t go well for them in this operation. They found a lot of shortcomings and deficiencies,” said Gem Chauhan.

This entire amendment essentially deals with the constitution of federal customs courts, which is a separate matter altogether, the general added.

The amendment to Article 243 of the Constitution of Pakistan has brought about significant changes in that country’s higher defence organisation.

“This is of particular importance to us in India, and especially to the armed forces. If I were to narrow down these changes, the first is the abolition of the post of Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, a position that was likely created to promote jointness among the three services. That post has now been abolished. In its place, they have created the post of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF),” he said.

However, Pakistan has also stated that this post can be created only by the Chief of Army Staff, which goes against the basic principle of jointness, General Chauhan said.

“That is one major change. The second change is the creation of a National Strategy Command. On that front, things may work well from their perspective. Earlier, they had also created an Army Rocket Forces Command. From both conventional and strategic standpoints, this may strengthen their capabilities. What they have essentially done is concentrate power by creating these new structures,” the CDS pointed out.

“Today, the Army Chief will be responsible for land operations, joint operations with the Navy and Air Force through the CDF, as well as strategic and nuclear matters. The creation of the Rocket Forces Command adds another important layer. This, in some ways, reflects a land-centric mindset,” he said on the changes made by Pakistan.

These are the reasons why these changes were undertaken, and these are essentially the changes that have been implemented, he added.

“For those who may not regularly follow such developments, or may not fully understand what ‘strategic forces’ mean, it refers primarily to nuclear forces or nuclear weapons,” the general pointed out.

He said several operational lessons, particularly relating to higher defence organisation, needed to be incorporated after Operation Sindoor.

Drawing on experiences from recent military engagements, including the Uri surgical strikes, the Doklam and Galwan standoffs, the Balakot air strike and Operation Sindoor, he said Indian armed forces have often operated through innovative, situation-specific command arrangements.

“What we are now working towards is evolving a standardised system that will be applicable across all contingencies,” the Chief of Defence Staff said.