Manish Tewari Seeks Urgent Reform to India's Anti-Defection Law

Tewari’s push for a revised framework arrives alongside a dense legislative calendar, including the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026. This proposed change seeks to expand the top court's bench from 33 to 37 justices, a move expected to spark significant debate over judicial capacity and oversight. Beyond the bench, the session will tackle the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act and elections for the Joint Committee on Offices of Profit.

The opposition intends to leverage these proceedings to challenge the government on economic policy and national security, setting the stage for a polarized assembly. While the government focuses on its administrative agenda, the call to overhaul defection rules underscores deeper anxieties regarding political stability and the erosion of party discipline in an era of shifting loyalties.