Lok Sabha MPs Voting Right Bill, 2025

Lok Sabha MPs Voting Right Bill, 2025

A Private Member’s Bill titled the Lok Sabha MPs Voting Right Bill, 2025 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha by a Congress MP. This is the third attempt at such reform, with similar Bills introduced in 2010 and 2021. The Bill seeks to substantially amend the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law) of the Constitution of India to give Members of Parliament greater freedom to vote independently.

At present, the Tenth Schedule (inserted by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985) mandates that MPs elected on party tickets must follow party whips on almost all matters, failing which they face disqualification. The proposed Bill seeks to restrict disqualification only to votes that directly affect the stability of the government. These include:

• Confidence and no-confidence motions
• Adjournment motions
• Money Bills and other financial matters

For all other legislative business—ordinary bills, policy legislation, and private member bills—MPs would be allowed to vote according to their conscience and judgment, without fear of losing membership.

The Bill aims to curb “whip-driven control” and reduce what is described as “whip tyranny” over legislative functioning. A new safeguard proposes that whenever a binding party directive is issued on critical motions, it must be formally announced by the Speaker or the Chairman in the House.

Another major reform proposed is a statutory right to appeal against disqualification. An MP whose membership is terminated for defying a whip on critical motions may appeal to the Speaker/Chairman within 15 days, with disposal mandated within 60 days.