Explanation
The Anti-Defection Law was introduced in the Indian Constitution through the 52nd Amendment, which was passed by the Parliament in 1985.
The main objective of the Anti-Defection Law is to combat the issue of political defections in India, which was causing instability in the government and leading to frequent changes in power. The law applies to both Parliament and State Legislatures and aims to discourage elected representatives from switching political parties after the elections.
Under this law, a member of a political party who voluntarily resigns from his/her party or goes against the party whip during voting in the House can be disqualified from being a member of Parliament or State Legislature. However, if a member of a political party has less than one-third of the party's total strength in the House and decides to merge with another political party, such a merger will not be considered defection under the Anti-Defection Law.
The 52nd Amendment also added a new Tenth Schedule to the Constitution, which specifies the procedures for disqualification of members on the grounds of defection. The Anti-Defection Law has since been amended a few times to address some of its shortcomings and improve its effectiveness.
