Himachal Pradesh's New Bill Targets Disqualified Congress MLAs
Himachal Pradesh Assembly Approves New Bill
The Congress-led government in Himachal Pradesh has passed a new bill in the assembly, aimed at removing pensions for members disqualified under the anti-defection law. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu introduced the (Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill, 2024, in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, September 3.
Key Provisions of the Bill
According to the bill, “A person shall not be entitled to a pension under the Act if he has been disqualified at any point of time under the tenth schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law)”. In February this year, six Congress MLAs were disqualified for abandoning the party directive during essential votes.
- Disqualified MLAs: Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Rajinder Rana, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma, Devinder Kumar
- Voting Against Congress: These MLAs supported BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan in the Rajya Sabha elections.
- Recent Elections: Only Sudhir Sharma and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal retained their seats, while the others lost.
Ongoing Financial Critique
Despite the situation, the Himachal government is facing ongoing scrutiny for delays in salary and pension payments to state Secretariat employees. However, Chief Minister Sukhu assured that no financial crisis exists and measures are being taken for financial discipline.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.