Himachal Pradesh CM Advocates Anti-Defection Laws at CPA Conference

Dharamshala/Shimla, June 30 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu emphasized the necessity of a strong anti-defection law to safeguard democracy and advocated for a distinct policy for hill states. He shared these thoughts at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), India Region Zone-2's two-day conference held at Tapovan in Dharamshala. The conference was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Sukhu mentioned that for the first time in Himachal Pradesh's history, there was an attempt to unseat a democratically elected government. However, the Vidhan Sabha Speaker acted lawfully by disqualifying the involved MLAs. He further noted that a bill to cease the pensions of disqualified legislators was passed by the state Vidhan Sabha and is currently pending the governor's approval.

The Chief Minister was referring to the 2024 Rajya Sabha elections where three independents and six Congress MLAs unexpectedly supported BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan, resulting in his win despite Congress being in power. This led to the disqualification of nine MLAs and subsequent by-elections.

He also proposed the idea of holding by-elections only once a year under the 'One Nation, One Election' framework, urging the Lok Sabha speaker to address this issue in relevant forums. Highlighting the relationship between national and state progress, Sukhu advocated for a separate policy for hill states, considering their challenging topography. He pointed out that Himachal Pradesh has faced setbacks due to GST implementation, thus calling for a tailored policy for hill regions.

Himachal Pradesh has set an example for other states in digital democracy, with its Vidhan Sabha becoming the first entirely paperless Assembly in the country in 2014. The conference had participation from speakers, deputy speakers, chief whips, and deputy chief whips from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, and special guests from Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana. The event was seen as a crucial step toward reinforcing democratic institutions, enhancing legislative processes, fostering democratic dialogue, and promoting regional cooperation.

Chief Minister Sukhu reiterated the government's commitment to 'Vyavastha Parivartan' (change in system) to ensure good governance, highlighting Congress's achievements over the past two and a half years. Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania noted that the winter session of the Assembly has been conducted in Dharamshala for the past two decades, and this conference marks the beginning of many such future events in the region.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan also emphasized the need for concerted efforts to strengthen democracy, expressing concerns about the threat posed by legislators' defections.

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