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Raghav Chadha Seeks Right to Recall for MPs and MLAs in Parliament

He casts the plan as a voter‑accountability tool proposing an 18‑month cooling period alongside high petition and recall thresholds.

Overview

  • Raising the issue during Zero Hour, the AAP Rajya Sabha MP urged a statutory mechanism to remove non‑performing lawmakers and later amplified the pitch on X, though no bill has been introduced.
  • His safeguard package includes an 18‑month lock‑in before any attempt, a verified petition backed by roughly 35–40% of voters to trigger a vote, narrowly defined grounds such as proven misconduct, and removal only if more than 50% back recall.
  • He cited international practice in over two dozen democracies and referenced California’s 2003 recall of Governor Gray Davis as a concrete example.
  • Chadha noted India already allows recalls for some local body representatives in states such as Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
  • The push revives a long‑running constitutional debate, with the Constituent Assembly having earlier rejected recall provisions, and any nationwide adoption would require fresh legislation and design choices.