Alerts from news agencies such as PTI late tonight, 19 August, claim that a new Bill (or Bills) are to be introduced in the Lok Sabha that moot the ‘immediate removal’ of a chief minister or minister of any union territory from office upon their arrest or detainment on serious criminal charges.

Also expected: a Bill for the summary removal of the prime minister, any union minister or any minister of state who has been arrested or detained on serious criminal charges.

Per the Hindu, a set of three Bills is to be expected to turn up before the Lok Sabha on 20 August, Wednesday.

Of course, the idea of these bills begs the obvious question: There are already courts specifically for MPs and MLAs. There are already mechanisms outlined in the Constitution of India for impeachment of a prime minister. What is the necessity, then, of these new bills? And why now?

Some Opposition leaders have already posted on social media taunting the NDA government — and most especially the BJP — over its need for such draconian distractions.

Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi was among the foremost, saying, “The bills of Home Minister Amit Shah are nothing but a desperate attempt to divert the attention of the public away from the blistering Vote Adhikar Yatra of Shri Rahul Gandhi.”