Shimla, Apr 2 (PTI) Himachal Assembly on Thursday passed a bill seeking to bar the MLAs, disqualified under the anti-defection law, from pension.
Six MLAs were disqualified by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania in March 2024, The bill will deprive the two first-time MLAs, Chaitanya Sharma from Gagret and Devender Bhutto from Kutlehar, of pension.
Ravi Thakur and Rajinder Rana, who lost the assembly bye-election, would not be entitled to pension for the 14th Assembly term.
Sudhir Sharma and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, who were re-elected, would not be affected.
These six Congress MLAs had cross-voted in favour of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan during the Rajya Sabha election in February 2024.
They were disqualified for defying the whip to vote in favour of the Congress government during cut motions and the budget.
The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Members’ Allowances and Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced on Wednesday by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
He strongly defended the bill, arguing that it was not brought for the sake of Congress, but for all those elected members who defied the people’s mandate. The BJP members alleged that the bill was motivated by political vengeance.
Criticising the BJP, Sukhu remarked that the 75 lakh people of the state witnessed the attempts made to destabilise the elected government in 2024.
The amendment bill pertains to the present Legislative Assembly and will come into force only after the conclusion of the Assembly’s current tenure.
BJP MLA Randhir Sharma alleged that the bill was aimed at exacting political revenge and would not withstand legal scrutiny.
Sharma said the government’s sole intention is to discontinue the pensions of just four MLAs. He alleged that the bill undermines the dignity of the House and is indicative of a narrow-minded approach.
Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur stated that while strengthening the anti-defection law is a valid objective, a bill for this purpose cannot be introduced with retrospective effect.
He alleged that “countless cases” have been registered against these MLAs and their family members, and even their land and homes were subjected to measurement surveys.
Trilok Jamwal (BJP) said that historically, former MLAs continued to receive pensions and other benefits even after losing elections.
He argued that once an individual files his or her nomination papers to contest the Assembly election and wins, they are entitled to receive benefits from the very day they assume office as an MLA and not based on judicial verdicts delivered at some future date.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan stated that this amendment bill was introduced specifically to curb political defection and alleged that the BJP was sending a message to the public that it condoned defection.
There is no malicious intent behind the bill, he asserted.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said the bill was introduced only after careful and thorough deliberation. PTI BPL VN VN
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