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Topic 014 · Polity, Constitution & Governance

Tenth Schedule and the anti-defection law

10 MCQs · tap an option to check it · All answers

Revise the 12 points first Book 1 RATNA

Core Trigger: On 14 June 2026 rebel Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs told Speaker Om Birla of a merger with the little-known NCPI.
Claim: The rebels claimed 20 of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs, over two-thirds; the Speaker's office confirmed 19 at the meeting.
Current Head: Om Birla, Lok Sabha Speaker, decides disqualification; Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar led the rebels.
Key Term: Merger exception (Para 4): no disqualification if the original party merges and two-thirds of the legislature party agree.
Reform: The 91st Amendment (2003) deleted the one-third split exception and capped ministries at 15%.
Stakeholders: Abhishek Banerjee filed disqualification petitions on 19 June 2026; Kapil Sibal argued the original party must merge.
India Link: Disqualified defectors are barred from ministerial and remunerative political posts until re-elected (Articles 75(1B), 164(1B), 361B).
Venue: The Speaker received the rebels in Parliament House, New Delhi.
Founded: The Tenth Schedule was inserted by the Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act, 1985.
Landmark: Kihoto Hollohan (reasons delivered 18 February 1992) struck down Para 7; Speaker's decisions are reviewable.
Articles: Para 2 disqualifies those giving up membership or defying the whip; Para 4 is merger; Para 6 empowers the Speaker.
Doctrine: Defection is a legislator leaving, or voting against, the party on whose ticket he was elected.

Question 1 of 10

On 14 June 2026 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs told the Speaker of a merger with which party?

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Answer: (D) NCPI

Core Trigger: On 14 June 2026 rebel Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs told Speaker Om Birla of a merger with the little-known NCPI.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 1

Question 2 of 10

How many MPs did the Speaker's office confirm at the rebels' meeting?

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Answer: (B) 19

Claim: The rebels claimed 20 of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs, over two-thirds; the Speaker's office confirmed 19 at the meeting.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 2

Question 3 of 10

Who led the rebel Trinamool Congress MPs?

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Answer: (A) Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar

Current Head: Om Birla, Lok Sabha Speaker, decides disqualification; Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar led the rebels.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 3

Question 4 of 10

What fraction of the legislature party must agree for the Para 4 merger exception?

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Answer: (C) Two-thirds

Key Term: Merger exception (Para 4): no disqualification if the original party merges and two-thirds of the legislature party agree.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 4

Question 5 of 10

Consider the statements: 1. The 91st Amendment (2003) deleted the one-third split exception. 2. The 91st Amendment capped ministries at 15 per cent. Which is/are correct?

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Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Reform: The 91st Amendment (2003) deleted the one-third split exception and capped ministries at 15%.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 5

Question 6 of 10

Which senior advocate argued that the original party must merge?

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Answer: (A) Kapil Sibal

Stakeholders: Abhishek Banerjee filed disqualification petitions on 19 June 2026; Kapil Sibal argued the original party must merge.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 6

Question 7 of 10

Where did the Speaker receive the rebels?

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Answer: (B) Parliament House, New Delhi

Venue: The Speaker received the rebels in Parliament House, New Delhi.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 8

Question 8 of 10

Which Amendment Act, 1985 inserted the Tenth Schedule?

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Answer: (A) Fifty-second Amendment

Founded: The Tenth Schedule was inserted by the Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act, 1985.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 9

Question 9 of 10

Which Paragraph of the Tenth Schedule did Kihoto Hollohan strike down?

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Answer: (C) Para 7

Landmark: Kihoto Hollohan (reasons delivered 18 February 1992) struck down Para 7; Speaker's decisions are reviewable.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 10

Question 10 of 10

Consider the statements: 1. Para 2 disqualifies those giving up membership or defying the whip. 2. Para 4 empowers the Speaker to decide disqualification. Which is/are correct?

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Answer: (A) Only 1

Articles: Para 2 disqualifies those giving up membership or defying the whip; Para 4 is merger; Para 6 empowers the Speaker.From Book 1 RATNA, topic 014, point 11

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