NEW DELHI: Blaming Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for misusing the law to break other parties, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha introduced a private member’s bill for amendment to the anti-defection law.
“BJP has misused this law on every political party. The amendment in the law is the need of the hour. That’s why I introduced this bill today in the parliament,” Chadha later said.
Chadha said the bill sought to increase the existing threshold for the merger from 2/3rd to 3/4th of members of the legislature party in order to avoid disqualification.
Chadha further said that the bill was aimed at making elected representatives more accountable to the people. “The amendment bill proposes that if any MP or MLA changes his/her party after winning the election, they will be banned from contesting elections for six years,” he added.
Chadha said that his bill is also proposing a further disqualification of six years from the date a member is disqualified under the Tenth Schedule. Through the introduction of such a provision, the legislators who indulge in horse trading and dishonour the mandate of the electorate shall be debarred from contesting a by-election and getting re-elected.
“The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022 will act as a reformative measure whereby members will be exempted from the whip system except in cases of No Confidence Motion,” he said.