Committee to be formed under Narwekar to review anti-defection law, says LS speaker Om Birla

Mumbai: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Sunday that a committee headed by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar would be formed to review the country’s anti-defection law.

He made the announcement after the 84th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference here.

The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution provides for the prevention of defection of the elected and nominated members from their political party and contains stringent provisions for curbing the menace of switching over of legislators.

Birla said Narwekar will head the committee that will be formed to review the anti-defection law.

Earlier this month, Narwekar gave his verdict on cross-petitions filed by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of each other’s MLAs, under the anti-defection law, following a split in the party in 2022.

Narwekar is currently hearing similar petitions filed by two rival NCP factions. Asked about security arrangements during the next session of Parliament, Birla said appropriate steps are being taken to ensure full-proof security there.

In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on December 13 last year, two persons jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.

To a question on publication and telecast of expunged remarks in the house, he said, “This is a grey area which needs to be addressed.”