File photo: Congress MP Manish Tewari (Picture credit: PTI)
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Manish Tewari has introduced a private member’s bill in Lok Sabha that seeks to allow parliamentarians to take an independent line in voting on bills and motions other than those affecting govt’s stability. This he sees as a way of promoting good lawmaking and freeing MPs from “whip-driven tyranny”.On X, the Chandigarh MP shared a media report on his bill and said, “My private member’s bill to amend the 10th schedule introduced in Lok Sabha on Friday for the third time – 2010, 2021, and now, in 2025.” In the bill’s statement of objects it is highlighted that the 10th schedule in the Constitution, popularly known as the anti-defection law, was added by the Constitution (Fifty-second amendment) Act, 1985.It also stated that at present, the 10th schedule provides for disqualification of a member if he votes or abstains from voting in the House, contrary to any direction issued by the political party to which he belongs to.Tewari through this bill seeks an amendment to provide for a provision that an MP shall incur loss of membership only when the MP votes or abstains from voting in the House with regard to a confidence motion, no-confidence motion, adjournment motion, money bill or financial matters contrary to any direction issued by the party to which the member belongs to, and in no other case. The proposed amendment also calls for making room for a provision requiring the chairman or speaker of the House to make an announcement in the House regarding any direction issued by a political party in respect of the aforesaid motions. While making such an announcement, the chairman or the speaker shall also specifically inform members that defiance of the direction issued by a political party will result in automatic cessation of membership.He also proposed that a member should have the right to appeal against the cessation of membership to chairman or speaker, as the case may be, within 15 days from the date of such cessation and the appeal shall be disposed of within a period of 60 days from the date of its receipt. Asked by PTI if the bill aims to remove “tyranny of whip & promote good lawmaking”, he said “absolutely”.
