Current Volume 9
Abstract
Political defection, the act of an elected legislator leaving the party on whose name they were elected and joining another opposing political organisation, represents one of the most corrosive challenges to stable parliamentary democracy in India. To address this malaise, the Indian Parliament enacted the Constitution (52nd Amendment) Act, 1985, inserting the 10th Schedule into the Constitution of India. Popularly known as the Anti-Defection Law, this schedule made the grounds for disqualification of elected members from Parliament and legislatures of the states, who switch political allegiances in violation of the mandate given by the electorate. This research paper traces the historical genesis of defectionin Indian politics, examines landmark judicial pronouncements that have shaped its interpretation, and critically evaluates recurring attempts to circumvent the law through the merger exception. Special attention is devoted to the April 2026 episode in which AAP’s 7 Rajya Sabha MPs, including prominent leaders from Punjab, declared a merger with the Bharatiya Janata Party, reigniting a nationwide debate on whether the constitutional safeguard remains adequate in its current form.
Citations
IRE Journals:
Yogesh Sharma, Dr. Garima Savita "Political Defections in India: An Analysis of the Tenth Schedule" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 12 2026 Page 2467-2472 https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I12-1719138
IEEE:
Yogesh Sharma, Dr. Garima Savita
"Political Defections in India: An Analysis of the Tenth Schedule" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(12) https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I12-1719138
About IRE Journals
IRE Journals is an open access online journals established with an aim to publish high quality of research work in various diciplines. We have more than 6 years in publications. Over 2500+ papers already published.
Important Links
For Authors
Volume 9:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 8:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 7:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 6:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 5:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 4:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12Volume 3:
Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4, Issue 5, Issue 6, Issue 7, Issue 8, Issue 9, Issue 10, Issue 11, Issue 12