Locating Rahul Gandhi’s “disqualification” within the legal-constitutional frameworks enables us to generate evaluative questions for thinking about constitutional democracy: What are the objectives of disqualification and how integral is it to achieving accredited and normative standards of democracy?
The recent decision of the union cabinet to amend the Anti-Defection Act, by scrapping the clause that permits defection if it constitutes a split, that is, makes up one-third of legislative party strength, is a welcome step.
In Tamil Nadu's personality-oriented politics, many aspirants for power have thronged to Jayalalitha's side because of her perceived ability, demonstrated time and again, to rise phoenix-like from disgrace and defeat. Will the feat be repeated? Jayalalitha's disqualification from contesting the election has added a major element of uncertainty this time.
