In a decisive move to curb political defections, the Himachal Pradesh government has passed a new bill that will strip MLAs of their pension if they defect to other parties. The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill 2024, introduced by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, was passed in the assembly on Wednesday.
The Bill specifically targets MLAs who have been disqualified under the anti-defection law, as outlined in the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. According to the bill, “A person shall not be entitled to a pension under the Act if they have been disqualified at any point under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.”
This legislative move is seen as a significant step by the Congress-led government to maintain political stability and discourage party-hopping among its members. The bill was first raised in the assembly yesterday, and its swift passage reflects the government’s commitment to tackling the issue head-on.
Earlier this year, six Congress MLAs — Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma, and Devinder Kumar — were disqualified under the anti-defection law.
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These MLAs had defied a party whip by abstaining from the house during the passing of the Budget for 2024-25 and discussions on a cut motion. They had also voted in favor of BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha election in February.
Sudhir Sharma and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal later returned to the assembly after winning bypolls, but the four others lost their re-election bid. The new bill ensures that such disqualified MLAs will not be entitled to any pension, even if they manage to regain their seats in future elections.
This unprecedented move by the Himachal Pradesh government underscores the seriousness with which it views political defections and its resolve to strengthen the integrity of the legislative process in the state.
