Archive · 17 Nov 2025
Calcutta High Court Disqualifies Mukul Roy as MLA Under Anti-Defection Law
A politician named Mukul Roy, who used to be a very important person in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party and helped it grow, has now been disqualified as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
This means he can no longer be a representative in the state’s law-making body.
He had won the last election while being a member of the BJP party.
However, shortly after winning, he switched back to the TMC party.
Because of this switch, people from the BJP took him to court.
The court decided that by changing parties after winning an election on another party's ticket, he broke a rule called the anti-defection law.
This law is designed to prevent politicians from easily switching parties.
Roy has been ill and in the hospital for a long time, so he was not actively involved in politics.
His political career, once influential, has now ended with this disqualification.
Mukul Roy, a key TMC strategist, has been disqualified as an MLA by the Calcutta High Court under the anti-defection law.
Roy had won the 2021 Bengal Assembly polls on a BJP ticket but subsequently returned to the TMC in June 2021.
The disqualification overturns a previous decision by the Speaker, who had upheld Roy's membership.
The legal challenge was initiated by BJP leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, questioning Roy's position after his party switch.
Roy has been bedridden in a hospital for the past one-and-a-half years, absent from active public life.
- Who
- Mukul Roy, a former TMC strategist and MLA
- What
- Disqualified as a Member of the West Bengal Assembly under the anti-defection law.
- When
- Last Thursday (referring to the court ruling)
- Where
- West Bengal Assembly
- Why
- He won the 2021 Assembly polls on a BJP ticket but returned to the TMC, violating anti-defection provisions.
Arguments for Disqualification
Speaker's Previous Stance
Allegiance Change
Arguments for Disqualification
Mukul Roy won the 2021 Assembly polls on a BJP ticket but returned to the TMC, violating the anti-defection law.
Speaker's Previous Stance
The Speaker had previously upheld Roy’s membership, highlighting ambiguity in defection cases.
Legal Challenge
Arguments for Disqualification
Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari and BJP MLA Ambika Roy challenged Roy's appointment to the Public Accounts Committee and his continued membership in the Assembly.
Speaker's Previous Stance
The Speaker's initial decision to not disqualify Roy created an 'institutional ambiguity'.
- MLA Name
- Mukul Roy
- Constituency
- Krishnanagar Uttar Assembly seat, Nadia district, West Bengal
- Winning Party (2021)
- BJP
- Party Joined After Winning
- TMC
- Date of Return to TMC
- June 2021
- Challenging Parties
- BJP
- Court Ruling
- Calcutta High Court
