TMC's 20 Rebel MPs Merge with Non-Existent Party to Evade Anti-Defection Law

Twenty rebel MPs from the Trinamool Congress informed the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 14, 2026, that they have merged with a political party that holds no elected seats at any level in India. The move is believed to be an attempt to avoid action under anti-defection law. This has triggered significant legal and political debate, following a similar situation involving seven AAP MPs earlier this year.

The central question now is whether a group of MPs can unilaterally announce a merger into another party, or if consent from their original party is mandatory. The Supreme Court has yet to provide a definitive answer on this matter.

India's anti-defection law, introduced through the 52nd Constitutional Amendment in 1985 under the Tenth Schedule, was designed to prevent elected representatives from switching parties after winning elections and destabilizing governments. The law disqualifies MPs or MLAs who voluntarily leave their party or vote against party directives in the house.