The Bombay High Court has directed the Government of India to submit an affidavit in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the protection against disqualification provided under the anti-defection law in the event of party mergers.

Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor issued a notice to Attorney General R Venkataramani as the PIL questions the constitutional validity of paragraph 4 of the tenth schedule of the Indian Constitution, which encompasses the anti-defection law.