Senior lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday criticized lawmakers who switch political parties after being elected on a party symbol, describing such actions as “immoral, illegal and unconstitutional”.
Sibal’s Remarks on Party Hopping
In a post on X, Sibal stated that Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies are elected based on a party’s symbol and mandate, and therefore cannot subsequently “walk over” to another party with a different symbol.
“If the party symbol sends you to Parliament, how can you walk over to join another party with another symbol? You did not get elected on that symbol! No principle of constitutional law can permit this,” Sibal said.
Calling such defections “immoral, illegal and unconstitutional”, he said such cases warrant judicial scrutiny. “Immoral Illegal Unconstitutional. Over to Court,” Sibal added.
Criticism of TMC Rebel Merger
Recently, Sibal had slammed a group of rebel MPs from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) who announced their merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. Terming the development a “joke”, he said, “Indian democracy has become the theatre of the absurd.”
Sibal argued that rebels of the TMC legislative party cannot independently merge with another political party and that such a merger can take place only if the TMC itself decides to merge.
Context and Implications
These statements come amid ongoing debates about political defections and the effectiveness of the anti-defection law in India. Sibal’s comments highlight concerns over the integrity of the electoral process and the mandate given by voters. He emphasized that lawmakers elected on one party’s symbol cannot ethically or legally join another party without facing consequences.
The senior lawyer’s remarks have sparked discussions on social media and among political analysts, with many echoing his call for stricter enforcement of anti-defection norms. Sibal’s position as a Rajya Sabha MP and former Union Minister adds weight to his critique, as he has been a vocal advocate for constitutional propriety in political conduct.
