Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday said a committee chaired by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has been set up to review the anti-defection law.
Birla made this announcement during the valedictory session of the 84th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference here.
The anti-defection law, enshrined in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, was enacted to curb frequent switch of political parties by legislators. It provides for the disqualification of elected legislators from the legislature if they voluntarily switch parties or vote against the party’s direction.
The anti-defection law, enshrined in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, was enacted to curb frequent switch of political parties by legislators. It provides for the disqualification of elected legislators from the legislature if they voluntarily switch parties or vote against the party’s direction. However, when two-thirds of elected members of a party agree to ‘’merge’’ with another party, they are exempt from disqualification. Recently, Narwekar ruled in favour of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena by quashing the disqualification petitions against the Maharashtra MLAs filed by the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray.
