Context:
Vice President of India has expressed concerns regarding the increasing use of party whips in Parliament.
Party Whip:
- A directive issued by a political party to its members in the legislature, instructing them on how to vote on specific bills, motions, or resolutions.
- The whip is also the designated party member responsible for ensuring attendance and adherence to these directives.
- Objective – Maintain party discipline, ensure uniformity in decision-making, and avoid defections or dissent within the party ranks.
- Constitutional Status –Not mentioned in the Constitution, Rules of the House, or any parliamentary statute
- Based on parliamentary conventions.
- Types of Whips –
- One-Line Whip: Informs members about an important vote, allowing abstention without penalty.
- Two-Line Whip: Mandates the presence of members during a vote but does not explicitly require them to vote in a particular manner.
- Three-Line Whip: The strictest form, requiring members to attend the vote and align their vote with the party’s directive.
- Functions –
- Ensures Attendance: Ensures the presence of party members and maintains quorum in the House.
- Maintains Discipline: Ensures party members adhere to party guidelines and maintain stable democratic institutions.
- Identifies Discontent: Monitors signs of discontent among MPs and reports them to party leaders.
- Internal Party Coordination: Acts as a unifying force, maintaining party cohesion within the Parliament.
- Consequences of violation – MPs/MLAs who defy the party’s whip may face expulsion under the Anti-Defection Law
Source: IE
Previous Year Question
With reference to anti-defection law in India, consider the following statements:
1. The law specifies that a nominated legislator cannot join any political party within six months of being appointed to the House.
2. The law does not provide any time-frame within which the presiding officer has to decide a defection case.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is not correct. A nominated member of a House shall be disqualified for being a member of the House if he joins any political party after the expiry of six months from the date on which he takes his seat.
