Himachal leading on anti-defection reforms, says speaker as assembly records high productivity
Shimla, April 2
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly speaker, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, highlighting Himachal Pradesh's proactive stance on strengthening the anti-defection framework in line with Supreme Court observations and the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, said the state has emerged as a frontrunner in introducing progressive legislative measures to curb political defections.
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
Reader Comments
While the intent is good, I'm concerned about judicial overreach. The law disqualifying defectors from contesting for six years is already in court. We need stable laws that can withstand legal challenges, not just popular announcements.
Productivity of 103% and nearly 1000 students witnessing the session? That's impressive! Engaging the youth in democracy is as important as the laws themselves. More assemblies should have such open days.
Finally, some action on the "Aya Ram, Gaya Ram" culture. But the real test is implementation. Will this apply equally to big leaders and small MLAs? Or will there be loopholes for the powerful?
Good move, but what about the root cause? Why do MLAs defect? Often due to lack of intra-party democracy or pressure from central leadership. Strengthening the law is one side, reforming party structures is the other.
As a teacher from Shimla, I'm proud to see our state leading on such an important democratic reform. Hope this brings more stability and allows MLAs to focus on development, not just switching sides for perks.
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