Himachal Assembly Enacts Strict Law to Curb Political Defections
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly has introduced a stringent new law aimed at curbing political defections by passing the Himachal Pradesh Salary, Allowances, and Pension Amendment Act. This legislation, approved on Wednesday, is designed to strip MLAs who defect to other parties of their salaries, pensions, and allowances, signaling that such actions will not go unpunished.
According to the new law, any MLA who defects and is subsequently disqualified under the anti-defection law will lose their pension benefits immediately. Additionally, they will be required to return any pension payments they have already received.
The bill, which was introduced on Tuesday and swiftly passed the next day, is specifically directed at MLAs disqualified under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. This schedule enforces the anti-defection law, which aims to prevent elected representatives from switching parties for personal gain.
Earlier this year, six Congress MLAs—Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chaitanya Sharma, and Devinder Kumar—were disqualified for defying their party’s directive. They abstained from voting during the passage of the Budget for 2024-25, participated in cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha polls, and avoided discussions on a cut motion. While Sudhir Sharma and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal successfully returned to the Assembly after winning by-elections, the other four were not as fortunate.
During the Assembly session, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu praised Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania for his decisive action against the defectors. “This bill is essential for upholding the integrity of our democratic system. The actions of these six members were a betrayal not only to their party but to the core values of democracy,” Sukhu stated.
However, the bill faced criticism from the Leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, who argued that it might be too severe. “While members can make mistakes, depriving them of their pension is an overly harsh penalty,” he commented.
This new legislation marks a significant
