In one of the Latest News From India, Congress MP Manish Tewari has introduced an important Private Member Bill in the Lok Sabha, aimed at freeing Members of Parliament from the fear of the party whip during voting. The bill proposes an amendment to the Anti-Defection Law, making the whip mandatory only for the No-Confidence Motion, Confidence Motion, and Money Bills. For all other bills and motions, MPs should have the freedom to vote independently.
Tewari highlighted that under the current system, elected representatives have become mere enforcers of the party whip. This, he argued, prevents MPs from taking genuine interest in the law-making process, as they know they must ultimately vote along party lines. He described this as a “whip-based dictatorship” that blocks effective law-making.
The Chandigarh MP further demanded a special judicial tribunal to hear cases related to the 10th Schedule. He proposed that a bench of Supreme Court judges should oversee these matters outside Parliament, with a five-judge constitutional bench available for appeals.
In the Latest News From India, he also pointed out that even after 30 years, the Anti-Defection Law has failed to prevent defections. Instead, it has now turned into a mechanism enabling the shifting of entire political parties rather than individual legislators. This marks the third time Tewari has introduced this bill, following earlier attempts in 2010 and 2021.
