India, June 28 -- India's anti-defection law was enacted in 1985 to curb the culture of "Aya Ram, Gaya Ram" politics, where legislators frequently switched parties for power and patronage. Four decades later, however, senior advocate Dushyant Dave argues that the law has failed to achieve its objective.

In an exclusive interview with Kumkum Chadha, Dave traced the evolution of the anti-defection law, examined the constitutional interpretation of the Tenth Schedule, questioned the role of the Supreme Court in recent political crises, and reflected on what recurring defections mean for Indian democracy.

Dave described the 1985 anti-defection law introduced by the Rajiv Gandhi government as "an extraordinarily wise and very futuristic move...