Raghav Chadha pitches ‘Right to Recall’ , calls for lawmakers' mid-term accountability

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday called for introducing a “Right to Recall” mechanism, arguing that voters should have the power to remove elected representatives before the completion of their five-year term if they fail to perform or are involved in misconduct.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha said that while citizens have the constitutional right to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs), there is currently no direct provision allowing voters to de-elect them mid-term on grounds of non-performance.

He said a legally structured recall framework would enable constituents to initiate a formal process to remove an elected representative through a defined procedure. Drawing comparisons with existing accountability measures, Chadha noted that India already provides for impeachment of constitutional authorities such as the President, Vice President and judges, and allows no-confidence motions against governments.

“Five years is a long tenure,” he said, adding that there is no profession where individuals can underperform for such a long period without consequences.

Suggested safeguards and global examples

Chadha said any recall mechanism must include safeguards to prevent political misuse or instability. Among the guardrails he proposed were:

• A minimum threshold where at least 35–40 per cent of registered voters in a constituency support a verified petition before a recall vote is triggered.

• A cooling-off period of at least 18 months after an election before a recall process can begin.

• Limiting grounds for recall to proven misconduct, corruption, fraud or serious neglect of duty, rather than routine political disagreements.

• Removal only if more than 50 per cent of voters support the recall in a formal vote.

He said more than 20 democracies, including the United States and Switzerland, have some form of recall or voter-initiated removal mechanism at various levels of government.

According to Chadha, such a framework could encourage political parties to field stronger candidates, improve accountability and help reduce corruption.

Other Zero Hour issues

Several other members raised regional and policy concerns during the Zero Hour. Samajwadi Party MP Javed Alik Khan flagged the issue of stray dog and monkey attacks, citing frequent incidents and seeking preventive measures.

Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha demanded that Darbhanga airport be upgraded to an international airport, while Congress MP Ashok Singh highlighted the impact of the India-US trade deal on soybean farmers in Madhya Pradesh.

BJP MP Babubhai Jesangbhai Desai raised concerns over the alleged misuse of digital media, and party colleague Laxmikant Bajyapee called for the establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Meerut to address healthcare needs in western Uttar Pradesh.