New Delhi, February 11 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha called for the introduction of a 'Right to Recall' mechanism on Wednesday, arguing that voters should have the power to remove elected representatives before the completion of their five-year term if they fail to perform.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, he said that while Indian citizens have the constitutional right to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), there is currently no direct mechanism for voters to de-elect them mid-term on grounds of non-performance or misconduct.
The 'Right to Recall' framework would allow constituents to initiate a formal process to remove an elected representative through a structured and legally defined procedure, he said, adding that India already provides for the impeachment of the President, Vice President, and judges, and allows no-confidence motions against governments.
Extending a similar accountability principle to individual legislators, he said, would strengthen democratic oversight.
"Five years is a long tenure" for evaluating the performance of elected representatives, he said, adding that there is no profession where you can underperform for five years without any consequences.
Globally, more than 20 democracies – including the United States and Switzerland – provide for some form of recall or voter-initiated removal mechanism at various levels of government, he said.
Chadha, however, said that safeguards need to be in place to prevent political misuse or instability. Suggested safeguards include a minimum threshold – a verified petition backed by at least 35-40 per cent of registered voters in a constituency should trigger a recall vote.
Also, there should be a cooling-off period – a mandatory lock-in period of at least 18 months after the election before a recall process can be initiated.
The grounds for recall should be limited to proven misconduct, corruption, fraud, or serious neglect of duty, rather than routine political disagreements, he said, adding that removal should only happen if more than 50 per cent of voters support the recall in a formal vote.
Such a mechanism would incentivize political parties to nominate stronger candidates, enhance accountability, and reduce corruption, he added.
Other issues raised during the Zero Hour included the stray dog and monkey menace by Javed Alik Khan of the Samajwadi Party. He cited regular reports of dog and monkey attacks on human beings to seek action to prevent such occurrences.
Sanjay Kumar Jha of JDU wanted the Darbhanga airport to be made an international airport, while Ashok Singh of Congress raised the issue of the impact of the trade deal with the US on soybean farmers in Madhya Pradesh.
While BJP's Babubhai Jesangbhai Desai raised the issue of the growing misuse of digital media, his party colleague Laxmikant Bajyapee wanted an AIIMS to be set up in Meerut to meet the medical needs of residents of western Uttar Pradesh.