The Committee of the Whole House has passed a constitutional amendment stipulating that parliamentarians will lose their membership if they change political parties or are expelled from their party. The amendment was approved with 75 votes in favour and 13 against. Due to issues with the parliamentary voting system, the vote was conducted via roll call to ensure the integrity of the process. The amendment, proposed by Parliamentarian Mohamed Shahidh on behalf of the government, mandates that members elected under a political party must remain with that party throughout their parliamentary term. Should a parliamentarian leave their party or be expelled, they will forfeit their parliamentary seat. This development follows an earlier revision to the Anti-Defection Act passed by the previous MDP-majority Parliament, which required MPs who switched parties to resign but did not specify penalties for failing to do so. The current version of the Act does not enforce the immediate removal of parliamentarians who change parties, leaving a legislative gap that this amendment seeks to address. The new amendment also disqualifies independent parliamentarians from holding office if they join a political party during their term. It aims to provide a clearer framework for political party affiliation, strengthening rules on parliamentarians’ conduct and ensuring accountability throughout their term in office.
