Has India’s anti-defection law become biggest weapon in battle for political power? Interview with Dushyant Dave
India’s anti-defection law was enacted in 1985 to curb the culture of “Aya Ram, Gaya Ram” politics, where legislators frequently switched parties for power and patronage. Four decades later, however, senior advocate Dushyant Dave argues that the law has failed to achieve its objective. In the interview, Dave traces the evolution of the anti-defection law and examines the constitutional interpretation of the Tenth Schedule, (Sansad TV) In an exclusive interview with Kumkum Chadha, Dave traced the evolution of the anti-defection law, examined the constitutional interpretation of the Tenth Schedule, questioned the role of the Supreme Court in recent political crises, and reflected on what recurring defections mean for Indian democracy. From ‘Aya Ram, Gaya Ram’ to the anti-defection law Dave described the 1985 anti-defection law introduced by the Rajiv Gandhi government as “an extraordinarily wise and very futuristic move,” saying it reflected Parliament’s intention to restore political morality. But that purpose, he argued, has gradually been diluted. Dave was quoted saying, “The whole idea was to protect. The idea was not to give loopholes. Why …
