Archive · 11 Oct 2026
India’s Anti-Defection Law Fails to Curb Party Hopping
The article says that some elected politicians in India switch parties after winning elections.
The writer believes the law meant to stop this has not worked well.
The article says that party switching can make voters feel their choice was ignored.
It argues that voters should be able to ask courts to review some party switches.
It also says that the people who decide these cases may belong to the ruling party.
The writer suggests other changes, such as letting voters recall elected representatives.
The article also proposes making party promises legally enforceable.
These are the writer’s suggestions, not changes described as already adopted.
The writer argues that India’s anti-defection law has failed to prevent elected representatives from switching parties.
The article says Speakers from ruling parties decide defection cases, raising concerns about impartiality and judicial oversight.
It proposes allowing voters to bring court petitions when elected representatives defect from the party they were elected under.
The article cites Association of Democratic Rights figures saying 251 of 543 winning candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections had criminal cases against them.
The writer also calls for possible right-to-recall and referendum laws, and for election manifestos to be legally enforceable.
- Who
- The article discusses Indian elected representatives who switch political parties and proposes reforms affecting voters and lawmakers.
- What
- An opinion article argues that India’s anti-defection law is ineffective and recommends legal and political reforms.
- When
- The article cites figures from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
- Where
- India
- Why
- The writer argues that party defections undermine voters’ choices and confidence in democracy, while existing safeguards have not prevented them.
- Article type
- Opinion article by a senior journalist and media educator
- Main issue
- The effectiveness of India’s anti-defection law
- 2024 election figure cited
- 251 of 543 winning Lok Sabha candidates reportedly had criminal cases against them
- Source named for figure
- Association of Democratic Rights (ADR), as named in the article
- Proposed legal measure
- Allow voters to petition courts over defections they consider a betrayal of their electoral choice
- Other proposed reforms
- Right-to-recall and referendum laws, and treating manifestos as legal documents