Manish Tewari Seeks Lok Sabha Debate on New Anti-Defection Law to Curb Mass Party Switching
Congress MP files adjournment motion urging Parliament to address opportunistic mass defections while protecting genuine dissent.
MP, Aug 04 : Congress MP Manish Tewari on Tuesday submitted an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha, calling for a dedicated discussion on introducing a new legal framework to tackle mass political defections driven by opportunism. He urged the House to suspend its scheduled business, including Question Hour and Zero Hour, to deliberate on what he described as a matter of urgent public importance.
In his notice addressed to the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha, Tewari proposed that Parliament consider a comprehensive mechanism to discourage large-scale defections lacking genuine ideological or policy differences. At the same time, he stressed that any new framework must preserve the right of elected representatives to express principled dissent both within and outside legislatures.
The Congress leader argued that frequent instances of political realignments have raised concerns about the stability of democratic institutions and the spirit of the existing anti-defection provisions. According to him, a revised legal structure should strike a balance between preventing opportunistic party switching and safeguarding democratic debate.
Tewari requested the government to postpone the day’s listed agenda and allow a full-fledged discussion on the issue in the Lok Sabha. He maintained that reforms in the existing legal provisions are necessary to strengthen public confidence in parliamentary democracy and uphold the integrity of the electoral mandate.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha’s revised agenda includes the introduction of the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The proposed legislation seeks amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, the Income-tax Act, 2025, and the Finance Act, 2026.
The Finance Minister is also scheduled to table an explanatory statement regarding the promulgation of the Income-tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, outlining the circumstances that required immediate legislative action.
In addition, the House will discuss the Demands for Excess Grants for the financial year 2022-23, followed by the introduction of the Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2026, seeking parliamentary approval for expenditure incurred beyond the amounts originally sanctioned.
The day’s proceedings will also include statements by Union ministers on the implementation of recommendations made by various parliamentary standing committees. Ministers Jitin Prasada, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, and Bhagirath Choudhary are expected to present updates concerning the departments under their respective ministries.
The Lok Sabha is further slated to consider the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026, a measure intended to modernise the legal framework governing banking records by aligning it with evolving digital banking practices, before taking up other legislative business listed for the day.
