Anti - Defection Law In India

Yogiraj Sadaphal, B.A.LL.B., Bharati Vidya Peeth New Law College, Pune.

ABSTRACT

The Tenth Schedule, also known as the "Anti-Defection law," was inserted to the Indian Constitution by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1985. Defections from political parties constituted a danger to India's democracy and the ideas that underpin it. The modification was intended to reduce party defections among members at the time. The law has worked reasonably well and has helped to maintain party stability to some extent. The schedule specifies the criteria for a defecting member's exclusion from his former political party. There are several exceptions to disqualification in the legislation, such as in the case of a party merger. The purpose of this article is to provide a quick overview of the reasons listed in the Tenth Schedule. It also discuss merits and demerits of the law, current senario of the law and effects of Anti-defection law in Parliamentary Debate.

Keywords: Anti- Defection law, Parliamentary Debate, Disqualification.