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Shimla: In a major upheaval in the politics of Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has taught a tough lesson to the defection leaders. On the last day of the budget session, the Assembly passed the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote. Under this new law, if an MLA is disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law), he will not be entitled to a government pension for life.
Masterstroke to ‘stop the sale of democracy’
While presenting the bill in the House, Chief Minister Sukhu made it clear that the existing laws were not stringent enough to prevent defection. He said, “This amendment is not just to stop the pension, but to protect the people’s mandate. We want to ensure that there is no auction of democracy in Himachal and efforts like ‘Operation Lotus’ are curbed.”
On whom will the blame fall?
As soon as this bill was passed, former Congress MLA Chaitanya Sharma And Devendra Kumar Bhutto The sword has hung on his pension. Let us tell you that both of them had cross-voted during the February 2024 Rajya Sabha elections in violation of the party whip, after which they were disqualified. According to the old Act of 1971, every former MLA who served for 5 years used to get pension, but now this facility will be taken away.
Heated debate between ruling party and opposition
There was a huge uproar in the House regarding the bill:
Opposition’s allegation: Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur termed it ‘political vendetta’. He said that the government is selectively targeting people and this decision can be challenged in the court.
Answer of the ruling party: Taking aim at the BJP, the Chief Minister said that those who are opposing this bill want to encourage defection.
Assembly Speaker’s stance: Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania called it an ‘example’ and said that this step will strengthen the democratic system of the entire country.
An example will be set for the country
Himachal Pradesh has become one of the first states to bring such a stringent law. This amendment will not only affect state politics but will also give a new direction to anti-defection discussions at the national level. It is worth noting that earlier also a similar bill had been brought, which could not get the approval of the President, but this time the Sukhu government has introduced it making it more effective.
