Whip in India: What, Why and When

The whip system is used to enforce party discipline and ensure that party members vote in accordance with the party’s position on a particular issue. The whip can be seen as a tool for party leaders to maintain control over their members and ensure that the party is able to achieve its objectives.

The whip can also be used to prevent members of parliament from voting against their own party’s interests or from crossing the floor to vote with an opposing party. By enforcing party discipline, the whip helps to ensure that the party can maintain its position of strength and remain effective in achieving its goals.

What happens if a whip is disobeyed?

If a whip is disobeyed in politics, it can have serious consequences for the individual who disobeys it. The consequences can vary depending on the severity of the disobedience and the policies of the political party.

In some cases, disobedience of a whip can result in disciplinary action such as suspension or expulsion from the party. In extreme cases, it can even lead to the loss of the member’s position as a parliamentarian or other elected representative.

In addition to these formal consequences, disobedience of a whip can also damage a member’s reputation within the party and make it more difficult for them to achieve their political objectives. Members who consistently disobey whips may also find themselves excluded from party leadership positions or from important committee assignments.

Overall, disobedience of a whip is taken very seriously in politics, as it can undermine party unity and cause damage to the party’s goals and objectives. Political parties rely on their members to follow the party line in order to be effective and achieve their goals, and disobedience of a whip can be seen as a breach of trust and a betrayal of the party’s values.

Examples of Whip from Indian Politics

1. Triple Talaq Bill: In December 2017, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued a three-line whip to all its members of parliament to be present in the house and vote in favor of the Triple Talaq Bill. The bill proposed to make the practice of instant divorce by Muslim men illegal and criminalize it. The whip was issued to ensure that the party was able to pass the bill without any dissent from its members.
2. No-confidence motion: In July 2018, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) issued a one-line whip to its members of parliament to vote in favor of a no-confidence motion against the ruling BJP government. The whip was issued in response to the TDP’s dissatisfaction with the government’s policies and its failure to grant special category status to the state of Andhra Pradesh.
3. Citizenship Amendment Bill: In December 2019, the ruling BJP issued a three-line whip to its members of parliament to be present in the house and vote in favor of the Citizenship Amendment Bill. The bill proposed to grant citizenship to illegal immigrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who belong to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, or Christian communities. The whip was issued to ensure that the party was able to pass the bill without any dissent from its members.

In each of these examples, the whip was used to ensure party discipline and secure maximum attendance of its members during important votes.

Does Indian constitution mention the term whip

The term “whip” is not specifically mentioned in the Indian Constitution. However, the concept of party discipline and the power of political parties to enforce discipline on their members is recognized and protected under the Constitution.

Article 105 of the Indian Constitution provides immunity to members of Parliament for anything said or done by them in the course of their duties as parliamentarians. However, this immunity does not extend to any act of indiscipline committed by them as members of a political party.

In addition, the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (the lower and upper houses of the Indian Parliament, respectively) provide for the role of the chief whip and the issuance of whips. The rules allow the chief whip to issue whips to party members directing them to attend the proceedings of the house and to vote in a certain way on a particular issue.

While the term “whip” is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution, the power of political parties to issue whips and enforce party discipline is an established practice in Indian politics and is recognized and protected under the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Parliament.

Types of whip

In Indian politics, there are three types of whips that can be issued by political parties:

1. The Party Whip: This is the most common type of whip that is issued by political parties. It directs all members of the party to be present in the house and vote in a certain way on a particular issue. The party whip is usually issued for important and contentious issues where the party’s position is clear and non-negotiable.
2. The One-line Whip: This is a less severe form of whip that is issued when the party’s leadership wants to ensure maximum attendance of its members in the house but does not necessarily want to enforce a specific voting pattern. A one-line whip directs all members of the party to be present in the house but allows them some flexibility in their voting.
3. The Two-line Whip: This is a more severe form of whip than the one-line whip, but less severe than the party whip. It directs all members of the party to be present in the house and vote in a certain way on a particular issue, but allows some discretion to the member in case of exceptional circumstances.

The severity of the whip issued depends on the importance of the issue at hand and the degree of party unity required. The party whip is the most severe form of whip and is used only in cases where the party’s position is non-negotiable. The one-line whip and two-line whip are used to ensure maximum attendance of party members and to maintain some degree of flexibility in voting, while still ensuring that the party’s position is upheld.

Important Links

• http://licchavilyceum.com
• https://www.upsc.gov.in
• https://www.bpsc.bih.nic.in