No pension to MLAs who switch parties: Himachal Pradesh assembly passes new anti-defection bill

The Congress-led government in Himachal Pradesh has passed a bill aimed at curbing the financial benefits of MLAs who defect to other parties, according to Indian Express. The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill 2024 was introduced by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and passed in the assembly today.

The new legislation specifies that any MLA disqualified under the anti-defection law will not be entitled to a pension. The bill, which was introduced in the assembly on Tuesday, specifically addresses those who have been disqualified under the 10th Schedule of the 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 provision is designed to discourage party-switching among elected officials.

The context for this bill stems from the disqualification of six Congress MLAs earlier this year—Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma, and Devinder Kumar—who were penalised for defying a party whip during critical budget discussions. While Sharma and Lakhanpal later regained their positions through by-elections, the other four were unsuccessful in their re-election attempts.

This legislative action sheds light on the ongoing tensions within the political landscape of Himachal Pradesh, particularly following the six MLAs' controversial votes in favour of a BJP nominee during the Rajya Sabha elections in February.