Former Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, has issued a stark warning about the health of the nation's democratic fabric. He asserted that the very spirit of democracy is being undermined due to significant loopholes in the anti-defection law. Naidu emphasized that urgent corrective measures are needed to preserve constitutional morality and legislative integrity.
The Core Flaw: A Law Being Gamed
Speaking at a book launch event in New Delhi, Naidu pinpointed the central weakness in the current system. The anti-defection law, enshrined in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, was designed to curb the unethical practice of lawmakers switching parties for personal gain. However, Naidu argued that the law in its present form has been effectively neutralized. He stated that the provision allowing a group comprising two-thirds of a party's legislators to merge with another party has become a tool for engineered defections, making a mockery of the original intent.
"We will be making a mockery of democracy if we fail to plug loopholes in the anti-defection law," Naidu declared. He expressed deep concern that this legal flaw is encouraging a trend where elected representatives disregard the mandate given by the people, thereby betraying public trust. The focus, he stressed, has shifted from principled politics to opportunistic power games.
Undermining Mandate and Moral Authority
Naidu elaborated on the cascading damage caused by these unchecked defections. He highlighted that such actions directly violate the democratic will of the electorate. Voters choose a candidate based on their party's symbol and manifesto. When a legislator defects, they essentially nullify that choice without the consent of the people who voted for them. This, according to the former Vice President, erodes the foundational principle of representative democracy.
Furthermore, he connected this issue to the broader crisis of declining constitutional morality in public life. When laws meant to ensure stability and ethics are circumvented, it sets a dangerous precedent. It normalizes a culture where short-term political advantage trumps long-term institutional health and public faith. Naidu called for a collective introspection among all political stakeholders to address this decline.
The Path Forward: Urgent Reforms and Ethical Revival
For Naidu, the solution is two-fold. The immediate, tangible step is a legislative one. He urged Parliament to revisit and amend the anti-defection law to close the merger loophole and other gaps that facilitate wholesale defections. The law must be made airtight to serve its true purpose of preventing political horse-trading.
However, he believes that a legal fix alone is insufficient. The second, and perhaps more challenging, requirement is an ethical revival within the political class. Naidu appealed for a renewed commitment to constitutional morality and the spirit of democracy. Elected representatives must internalize the responsibility that comes with their mandate and prioritize national interest over partisan or personal gains.
In conclusion, M. Venkaiah Naidu's remarks serve as a critical intervention in an ongoing national debate. His warning is clear: the integrity of India's democracy is at stake when its laws can be manipulated. The call to action is for lawmakers to reform the law and for politicians to reform their conduct, ensuring that the people's voice, once expressed through the ballot, remains respected throughout the legislative term.
