YSRCP seeks changes to anti-defection provisions

New Delhi: A team of YSRCP MPs met the Union minister for law and justice Kirren Rijuju on Wednesday and sought an amendment to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution for ensuring "timely disposal of anti-defection petitions".

The team led by Rajya Sabha Member V Vijayasai Reddy, presented its party's view on the subject and stated that the solemn purpose of the anti-defection law had been defeated because it failed to provide any specific time frame within which anti-defection complaints had to be disposed of.

It had allowed the defectors to continue as elected representatives from a different party for an indefinite period of time, resulting in a "blatant betrayal" of the people's will. It had also led to an unabated rise in anti-democratic practices such as political corruption and party disloyalty leading to betrayal of the party too.

Reminding the minister of a Supreme Court ruling that had stipulated a time limit of three months from the date of filing of petition for disqualification, the team urged upon the minister to amend the anti-defection law fixing the three month time limit in line with the Apex Court decision.

They also reminded the minister that the Chairman of Rajya Sabha had disposed of the petition filed against Sharad Yadav and others in three months. The same practice must be followed in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies too, they said.

The YSRCP had, before the commencement of the monsoon session of Parliament, cautioned the Speaker of the Lok Sabha against delay in initiating against its MP, K Raghurama Krishna Raju on the basis of the petition filed by it and warned of disruption to the House business otherwise.