Supreme Court steps in to clarify India's anti-defection law issues
The Supreme Court is stepping in to clarify India's anti-defection law, after senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued it's being misused for political defections and undermining what voters want.
The law lets parties merge if two-thirds of members agree, but Sibal says this loophole has led to questionable power shifts.
The judges admit there are big issues here, though they feel Parliament should ideally handle the discussion.
Kapil Sibal flags merger loophole
Sibal isn't convinced Parliament will fix things, since the current rules benefit those in charge.
He pointed out that party mergers (like with Sena UBT and TMC after the West Bengal elections) can reshape governments without triggering disqualification.
The court has asked the Centre and the Lok Sabha Secretariat for their take, especially on a petition challenging the Speaker's approval of six Sena MPs switching sides.