Himachal Pradesh passes Bill to deprive defecting MLAs of pension

The Vidhan Sabha today passed the Himachal Pradesh Legislative (Allowances and Pension) Amendment Bill, 2024, to deprive MLAs disqualified under the anti-defection law of pension benefits and other allowances.

Defending the Bill, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said it was a landmark amendment, which was necessary to uphold democratic norms.

“This Bill will prove to be a deterrent for those wanting to use unfair means, including use of money power or other allurements, to topple democratically elected governments. It has been brought to uphold clean democratic norms and traditions,” said Sukhu.

The Bill also has a provision to recover the pension already drawn by an MLA disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. “I have consulted top legal experts in Delhi before the Bill was enacted so that we discourage defection and uphold democratic values,” Sukhu said. He said during the Rajya Sabha election, six Congress MLAs cross-voted and despite issuing of a whip, they remained absent during the passing of the Budget, attracting disqualification.

“It was for the first time in the history of Himachal that such a thing happened. You cross-voted as you were unhappy with me, but why did you not support the Budget being loyal party men,” he quipped. “There was open display of ‘goondaism’ inside the Assembly. The six Congress MLAs remained inaccessible as they came and left Shimla in choppers,” said Sukhu.

LoP Jai Ram Thakur said it was wrong to unleash political vendetta. “There is no question of invoking anti-defection in cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha election. The Tenth Schedule cannot be enforced as they were not members of this House at that time,” said Thakur. He said this amendment must be withdrawn as a majority of the MLAs were dependent on salaries and pension with no other source of income.