August 6, 2025 — Union Home Minister Amit Shah has officially become the longest-serving Home Minister in the history of independent India, completing 2,258 days in office. The milestone surpasses the previous record held by veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani, who served for 2,256 days.
The achievement was acknowledged on Tuesday during the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shah for his leadership and significant contributions to the country’s internal affairs. Modi praised Shah’s “tireless efforts” and “bold decisions” that, according to him, have brought long-lasting changes to India’s security and legal infrastructure.
Amit Shah took over the Home Ministry on May 30, 2019, following the BJP-led NDA’s landslide victory in the general elections. Since then, he has played a pivotal role in executing key decisions, with the abrogation of Article 370 being the most defining moment of his tenure. The move revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under the Indian Constitution, thereby fully integrating the region into the Union of India. The decision, though controversial, was seen by many within the BJP as a historic correction.
Under Shah’s leadership, the Home Ministry has also focused extensively on national security and internal stability. His tenure has seen intensified efforts against terrorism, both in Jammu and Kashmir and across other vulnerable regions. Crackdowns on insurgent groups in the Northeast, steps to modernize policing, and the strengthening of border security have marked a shift toward a more assertive internal security policy.
Shah has also been instrumental in pushing forward new legislative reforms. One of the major highlights includes the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which sparked widespread protests across the country but was defended by the government as a humanitarian measure. Additionally, Shah has overseen the introduction of three new criminal codes — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam — which replace colonial-era laws such as the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act. The government has claimed these reforms are aimed at ensuring faster justice and making the criminal justice system more citizen-centric.
Political analysts view Shah’s extended tenure as a sign of both his close rapport with Prime Minister Modi and his central role in the BJP’s long-term governance strategy. His presence in the Ministry of Home Affairs is also seen as a stabilizing factor within the administration, especially during periods of unrest or reform.
As of today, Shah’s record-breaking tenure places him ahead of all his predecessors in terms of duration and legislative impact. While critics have questioned some of the more aggressive policies undertaken during his term, there is consensus across party lines that Shah has left a lasting imprint on the ministry.
With over six years of uninterrupted service, Amit Shah’s record now stands as a major political landmark, underscoring his rise from party strategist to one of the most powerful figures in the current Indian government.
