Himachal Leads Anti-Defection Reform, Denies Pension to Disqualified MLAs

Addressing the media at the conclusion of the budget session, Pathania said the recently passed amendment bill denying pension benefits to disqualified MLAs was part of a broader effort to reinforce democratic values.

"The Supreme Court has observed that the anti-defection law needs to be strengthened. In this context, Himachal Pradesh is taking the lead. Ours is perhaps the only state that has passed such a progressive law," he said.

Referring to the newly passed legislation, the Speaker clarified that it targets those legislators who defect and are subsequently rejected by the public.

"If a member defects and is unseated and later becomes a former MLA without being re-elected, such a person will not be entitled to pension or other post-retirement benefits admissible to ex-MLAs," he said.

He also noted that a similar law passed earlier by the Assembly disqualifying defectors from contesting elections for six years was currently under judicial scrutiny before the High Court.

Pathania said the developments in Himachal come at a time when Parliament has also constituted a committee to examine the effectiveness of the anti-defection law under the Tenth Schedule, including whether it should be strengthened further or reviewed.

Providing an overview of the session, the speaker said the assembly held 16 sittings in two phases, with proceedings lasting around 90 hours and achieving a productivity of 103 per cent--"a historic benchmark when compared with other state legislatures."

He said a total of 67 starred questions were answered during the session, while multiple issues were raised under various procedural rules, including Rule 62 (two matters), Rule 67 (one matter), Rule 101 (four matters), Rule 130 (one matter), and Rule 324. Additionally, 94 issues were taken up during Zero Hour.

"A total of eight government bills were passed, and 60 committee reports were presented in the House," Pathania said, adding that nearly 1,000 students witnessed the proceedings, reflecting growing public engagement with legislative functioning.

Emphasising the depth of deliberations, he said, "There would hardly be any issue concerning the state that was not discussed. In several cases, matters were debated multiple times under different rules, reflecting serious and meaningful participation by members."

The Speaker expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, ministers, and all members for their cooperation in ensuring the smooth conduct of proceedings.

He also acknowledged the role of the media, stating, "You carried every development inside and outside the House to the people of Himachal. That is the strength of democracy."

Pathania invited media persons to attend the next session, which is likely to be held in Shimla or Dharamshala, and reiterated that the Assembly remains committed to upholding transparency, accountability, and democratic ethics through progressive legislative action.

- ANI