1 / 7Amit Shah became the longest-serving Union Minister of Home Affairs of India on Tuesday, August 5. With 2,258 days in office since taking over on May 30, 2019, Shah has now surpassed Lal Krishna Advani’s tenure of 2,256 days as Home Minister. Coincidentally, Shah achieved this feat on August 5, the same day he announced the abrogation of Article 370 in Parliament in 2019, effectively ending Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Shah’s stint as Home Minister has been defined by a series of bold decisions, including the abrogation of Article 370, a sustained crackdown on terrorism, and measures to strengthen internal security. (Image CNBCTV18.com file)
2 / 7This comes days after PM Narendra Modi became India’s second-longest-serving Prime Minister after completing 4,078 consecutive days, surpassing former PM Indira Gandhi’s tenure of 4,077 days. According to a report in Hindustan Times, at a meeting of the NDA parliamentary group, PM Modi commended Amit Shah, saying, “Yeh to abhi shuruwat hai… abhi aur aage jaana hai (This is just the beginning… he has a long way to go).” (Image X)
3 / 7Amit Shah | Shah assumed the role on May 30, 2019, and has been the home minister for 2,258 days. He has overtaken BJP stalwart L K Advani, who had a tenure of 2,256 days. His first tenure lasted until June 9 2024. He was re-elected as Home Minister on June 10, 2024. (Image X)
4 / 7Lal Krishna Advani | LK Advani had been in the position for 2,256 days from March 19, 1998, to May 22, 2004. Shah succeeded Advani as the BJP candidate in 2019 for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, which the veteran leader had previously represented six times. (Image Reuters)
5 / 7Govind Ballabh Pant | Third on the list after Shah and Advani is Congress leader Gobind Ballabh Pant. The former UP chief minister had the third-longest tenure as home minister. He served for a period of 6 years and 56 days from January 10, 1955, to March 7, 1961. (Image X)
6 / 7Shankarrao Chavan | Shankarrao Chavan first served as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister before becoming India’s Finance Minister and Home Minister. He held the position from December 31, 1984, to March 12, 1986, and then from June 21, 1991, to May 16, 1996. (Image X)
7 / 7Rajnath Singh | Rajnath Singh served as the Union Minister of Home Affairs from 2014 to 2019 under the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. After assuming the role on May 27, 2014, he held the position until 2019, and then he was made the Defence Minister of the country. (Image PTI)
