Manish Tewari Calls for Overhaul of India’s Anti-Defection Laws

Congress MP Manish Tewari has moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha, demanding an urgent debate on the integrity of the country’s political system. He argues that the current anti-defection framework fails to curb opportunistic party-switching while simultaneously stifling legitimate dissent within India’s legislative chambers.

Editorial·July 31, 2026·reads: 1,224

Manish Tewari Calls for Overhaul of India’s Anti-Defection Laws

Tewari’s proposal seeks to suspend the day’s scheduled business, including Question Hour and Zero Hour, to address what he describes as the systemic rise of mass defections. He contends that these shifts are frequently devoid of ideological conviction or policy alignment, serving instead as a mechanism for political expediency. His motion specifically calls for a legislative revision that would tighten rules against such movements while carving out protected space for principled criticism both inside and outside the legislature.

The timing of this motion places pressure on a packed parliamentary agenda for the ongoing Monsoon Session. While Tewari pushes for this debate, the Lok Sabha is prepared to consider the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, led by Arjun Ram Meghwal. Simultaneously, the Rajya Sabha is slated to take up the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, presented by Jitan Ram Manjhi.