Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Rajya Sabha: ‘If voters can hire, they should be able to fire’: MP Raghav Chadha demands Right to Recall
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, February 11, 2026: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday strongly advocated for introducing the ‘Right to Recall’ in India, arguing in the Rajya Sabha that voters should have the power to remove non-performing elected representatives before the completion of their five-year term.
“If voters can hire a neta, they should be able to fire the neta too,” Chadha asserted, calling the proposal a step toward strengthening democratic accountability.
Explaining the concept, he said the Right to Recall would allow citizens to “de-elect” an MP or MLA mid-term if they fail to discharge their responsibilities.
He questioned why voters should be compelled to tolerate an underperforming representative for five years when mechanisms already exist to impeach the President, Vice President, and judges, or to bring down a government through a no-confidence motion.
“Five years is too long. There is no profession where you can underperform for five years without consequences,” Chadha remarked.
Chadha noted that over 24 democracies, including the United States and Switzerland, have provisions enabling voter-initiated removal of elected representatives in certain forms. He argued that if Indian voters possess the right to elect their representatives, they should also have the right to recall them.
Addressing concerns about political instability or misuse, the AAP leader outlined key safeguards:
- Threshold Requirement: At least 35–40% of voters in a constituency must support a verified recall petition before a recall vote is triggered.
- Cooling-Off Period: A minimum 18-month lock-in period after elections to prevent immediate targeting of newly elected representatives.
- Clear Grounds: Recall should be permitted only in cases of proven misconduct, fraud, corruption, or serious neglect of duty — not for routine political disagreements.
- Final Majority Test: Removal should succeed only if more than 50% of voters support it in a formal recall vote.
Calling it a measure of “citizen empowerment,” Chadha said such a mechanism would compel political parties to nominate capable and accountable candidates while discouraging corruption and complacency.
“Voters have the right to vote someone into office. They should also have the right to vote them out,” he said.