Analyse the problem of politics of defection in India. (HPAS Mains Question Paper 2022 – GS 2, Q.17)
Since the 1960s, the problem of defection politics, also known as the “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram” culture, has been a persistent issue in Indian politics. It refers to elected officials switching political parties to gain personal benefits such as money, power, and positions. This practice undermines democratic governance principles and undermines the credibility of political institutions.
Here are some of the significant issues associated with India’s defection politics:
- Undermines Democracy: Defection politics undermines fundamental democratic principles such as free and fair elections and the representation of the people’s will. Elected representatives change parties without the consent of the voters, which can lead to political instability and a loss of faith in the democratic process.
- Defection breeds insecurity: The practice of defection frequently results in the formation of unstable governments with no clear mandate to govern. Frequent defections also contribute to political instability and policy paralysis, as governments spend more time managing internal politics than handling them.
- Defection politics weakens the party system and makes it difficult for political parties to form a stable, long-term vision and agenda. It also discourages political parties from cultivating grassroots organisations because elected representatives frequently switch parties, removing the support base.
- Defection politics breeds corruption because elected representatives are frequently enticed to switch parties by money and positions. Political parties and their leaders often use money and other forms of inducement to attract elected officials, undermining the integrity of the political process.
- Impacts Legislative Functioning: Defections frequently result in changes in the balance of power in legislative assemblies, which can affect how the legislature functions. It can lead to the formation of minority governments, which may struggle to pass legislation or carry out their agenda.
Several significant defections have occurred in the Indian Parliament over the years. Some notable examples include:
- 1979-1980: With the support of the Congress party, Charan Singh was elected Prime Minister of India in 1979. He was forced to resign in 1980, however, after a group of Congress MPs led by Jagjivan Ram withdrew their support and joined the Janata Party. Charan Singh’s government was brought down as a result of this defection.
- 1984: In the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party won 414 out of 543 seats, a landslide victory. However, several prominent Congress MPs, including Arif Mohammad Khan and V. P. Singh, defected from the party and formed a new political party called Jan Morcha over the next few months.
- 1997: The BJP-led government at the Centre was reduced to a minority after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party withdrew its support. The government did, however, survive a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha after several MPs from the Congress party and other regional parties defected and voted in its favour.
- 2019: Several Congress MLAs resigned from the party and defected to the BJP, which was in power at the time in Karnataka. This defection resulted in the demise of the state’s Congress-JD(S) coalition government and the formation of a BJP government.
Anti-Defection Law:
- In India, the Anti-Defection Law was enacted in 1985 to address the instability caused by elected representatives frequently switching party affiliations, often resulting in the fall of elected governments. The law is intended to prevent such defections and to keep elected governments stable.
- The Anti-Defection Law states that elected members of a legislative body, such as the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, may be disqualified if they voluntarily give up their party membership or vote against their party’s directives on a motion of confidence or an indication of no-confidence. A petition from any member of the party to which the defector belonged initiates the disqualification process, and the decision is made by the presiding officer of the legislative body.
- There are, however, some exceptions to the disqualification. A member is not disqualified, for example, if they leave the party due to a merger with another party or if the member is expelled from the party. Furthermore, if two-thirds of a party’s members decide to merge with another party, the party is not disqualified.
- The final authority to decide on a disqualification petition is the presiding officer of a legislative body, such as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The presiding officer may also disqualify a member without waiting for a petition if they are convinced of the defection. A writ petition can, however, be filed in the High Court or the Supreme Court to challenge the presiding officer’s decision.
- The Anti-Defection Law has been criticised for undermining elected representatives’ independence and being used by political parties to stifle dissent. It is, however, viewed as a necessary tool for maintaining stability in elected governments and preventing frequent changes in government.
