The Supreme Court’s observations on the shameful episode of political defection in Telangana are a damning indictment of both the defectors and the system that enables them. It is not just a legal matter—it is a moral and constitutional crisis that threatens to corrode the very foundations of Indian democracy. The case of 10 BRS MLAs switching sides to join the ruling Congress soon after the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections is not just an act of political opportunism; it is a flagrant violation of the Anti-Defection Law and a betrayal of public trust. These MLAs were elected on the BRS symbol. Their mandate came from voters who trusted them to represent a specific ideology and agenda. The people did not vote for them to serve as mercenaries for the highest bidder once the results were in. Yet, within days of the Congress forming the government under Revanth Reddy, these 10 MLAs defected, lured no doubt by the perks and proximity to power. This is not governance—it is political horse-trading of the worst kind, to further strengthen their numbers in the assembly floors. What makes this situation more disgraceful is the inaction of the Telangana Assembly Speaker, who refused to even entertain the disqualification petitions filed by the BRS. This is a clear abdication of constitutional duty. The Speaker’s office is meant to be impartial and uphold the integrity of the House, not function as a rubber stamp for the ruling dispensation. The Supreme Court rightly pulled up the Speaker and set a deadline for action. As the Court observed, “How can the Assembly refuse to act either way and force the aggrieved to knock on the doors of the judiciary?” This is not the first time that the Anti-Defection Law, introduced with much fanfare in 1985 by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has been treated with contempt.
Ironically, it is the Congress party—whose own former leader brought in this law to curb “Aya Ram, Gaya Ram” politics—that is now indulging in the very malpractice it once sought to eliminate. By facilitating and sheltering defectors, the Congress is not only violating the spirit of the Constitution but also mocking its own legislative legacy. The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which enshrines the Anti-Defection Law, clearly states that elected representatives who voluntarily give up the membership of the party on whose ticket they were elected, or vote/abstain contrary to the party’s direction, are liable for disqualification. The moment these 10 MLAs joined the Congress; they ceased to represent the BRS. The fact that no action has yet been taken against them exposes the toothlessness of the current mechanism and the partisan misuse of the Speaker’s powers. More dangerously, this saga erodes the faith of citizens in the electoral process. What is the point of voting for a party if the elected representatives can simply switch sides post-election and become ministers in an opposing government? What remains of democratic accountability when the Speaker, the supposed guardian of legislative propriety, acts like a gatekeeper for political convenience? The Supreme Court’s stern remarks should not merely be seen as judicial posturing but as a clarion call to cleanse the rot that has set in. It is high time India moved toward reforms that take away the Speaker’s sole discretion in disqualification matters. An independent tribunal or Election Commission-led mechanism must be instituted to deal with defection cases swiftly and impartially. Revanth Reddy may have returned to power riding on anti-incumbency and political agility, but encouraging defections taints the very victory he claims as people’s mandate. And for the Congress, which never tires of swearing allegiance to the Constitution, such conduct exposes a deep hypocrisy. You cannot champion constitutional values in Delhi and trample them in Hyderabad. The people of Telangana deserve better. India’s democracy deserves better. The time for polite disapproval is over—defectors must be punished, and their enablers held accountable. The message must be loud and clear: public office is not for sale.
