The Himachal Pradesh government has taken a significant step to curb political defections by introducing a key amendment during the state Assembly’s budget session. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Allowances and Pension) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Assembly.
Under the proposed amendment, MLAs disqualified under the anti-defection law will no longer be eligible for pension benefits. The bill clearly states that members elected to the 14th Legislative Assembly or thereafter, who are disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, will lose their pension entitlement.
To implement this change, a new sub-section (2-A) has been added to Section 6-B of the existing 1971 Act. The government believes the earlier provisions lacked strong deterrents against legislators switching political parties after being elected, which weakened democratic values and public trust.
Currently, MLAs who serve for five years receive a monthly pension of ₹50,000, with an additional ₹1,000 per month for each extra year of service. The law also provides for pension revision every five years based on inflation from 2030 onwards, along with 50% family pension benefits after the death of a legislator.
Political analysts view the amendment as a move aimed at strengthening accountability and protecting the public mandate. The reform sends a clear message that political defection will now carry financial consequences along with political repercussions.
The move comes in the backdrop of the 2024 Rajya Sabha elections, where six Congress MLAs cross-voted, leading to BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan being elected to the Upper House. The legislators were later disqualified for violating the party whip.
After the amendment takes effect following the Governor’s approval, disqualified MLAs elected from the 14th Assembly onwards will be barred from receiving pension benefits, reinforcing the state government’s effort to uphold democratic integrity.
