'Should Be Barred From Holding Public Office': CJP Backs Kapil Sibal's 10-Year Ban For MPs, MLAs Who Switch Parties

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has backed senior lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal’s proposal to impose a 10-year ban on MPs and MLAs who switch political parties after being elected on another party’s symbol due to money or pressure. CJP said the proposal addresses the growing concern over political defections and horse trading.

CJP co-convener Saurav Das said the proposal is in line with the organisation’s earlier charter of demands. He said, "Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal's proposal to ban any MP or MLA who is elected on the symbol of party 'X' and later joins party 'Y' due to money or pressure should be welcomed. They have demanded a 10-year ban.”

Need of the hour!

Any elected representative who switches parties after being elected should be barred from holding public office. https://t.co/pJp92RhMfR

— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) September 14, 2026

What Did Kapil Sibal Propose?

Sibal raised the issue while speaking on ‘Horse Trading and Democracy’ in Kochi, Kerala. He called for amendments to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to prevent the merger provision from being used to facilitate the mass departure of MLAs from a political party.

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Under the existing anti-defection law, legislators are not disqualified if at least two-thirds of the members of a legislative party join another party under a recognised merger.

Sibal has called for this provision to be changed so that a merger applies to political parties rather than allowing a large group of legislators to leave one party and join another. He said, “merger means merger of political parties and not en masse departure of MLAs from the party.”

CJP Wants 20-Year Election Ban

The CJP has also called for a tougher restriction on lawmakers who switch parties. Das said the fifth point of the organisation’s first charter of demands, issued by national convener Abhijit Dipke, proposed barring such individuals from holding public office or contesting elections for 20 years.

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Das said, "Breaking political parties, bribing MPs with 50-100 crore, toppling governments is a fraud committed on the country. Such fraud should never happen. The Anti-Defection law is outdated. The ruling party has ensured its misuse in its lust for eternal power. The young will change this."

Dipke reiterated the demand, calling it the "need of the hour". In a post on X, he said, "Any elected representative who switches parties after being elected should be barred from holding public office."