Which statement best captures the objective of the Anti-Defection Law in Indian democracy?
- Prevent all political realignments and mergers
- Curb opportunistic defections while allowing genuine ideological shifts
- Ensure complete party discipline on all legislative votes
- Transfer power from elected representatives to political parties
Answer: Curb opportunistic defections while allowing genuine ideological shifts
Tenth Schedule aims to: (a) Prevent horse-trading and unstable governments by curbing individual/small-group defections for personal gain, (b) Allow genuine realignments via merger exception (2/3 rule), (c) Maintain party discipline on critical votes while respecting dissent through condonation provision. Balance between stability and flexibility; ongoing reforms debated to address implementation gaps like Speaker bias and delayed decisions.