Waqf Bill in Lok Sabha: What is a whip and how does it work in Parliament?

As parties issue three-line whips for the Waqf Bill, here's a look at what a whip means in India's parliamentary system and what happens if MPs defy it

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is set to be tabled in Parliament today, with the BJP, Congress, and other parties issuing whips to their MPs to ensure their presence in the House. But what is a ‘whip’?

 

The government has listed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. As political parties prepare to take a stand on the legislation, they have issued whips to all their Lok Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs), mandating them to be present in Parliament on April 2.

 

Whips are issued by political parties to ensure voting discipline among their MPs and Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs). Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) issued three-line whips to their MPs on Tuesday to ensure their presence in the House.

 

In line with the BJP and Congress, their allies—such as the Samajwadi Party (SP), Shiv Sena, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and JD(U)—have also issued three-line whips to all their MPs, directing them to be present in Parliament on April 2 and 3 and participate in the discussions on the Bill.

What is a whip in the Indian Parliament?

A whip is an official appointed by each political party to ensure that MPs and MLAs attend voting sessions and vote according to the party’s stance on the matter. They issue written instructions, called whips, requiring legislators to be present and to vote in a specific way. The concept originated during colonial British rule and was carried into India’s current parliamentary system. The term comes from the British hunting expression “whipping in”, referring to keeping the hounds from straying during a hunt.

 

In India, whips play a crucial role in floor coordination, especially on contentious Bills.

 

“All BJP members of Lok Sabha are hereby informed that some very important legislative business will be taken up for passing in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, 2nd of April 2025. All members of the BJP in the Lok Sabha are, therefore, requested to be positively present in the House throughout the day on Wednesday, 2nd of April 2025 and support the Government’s stand,” read the three-line whip issued on Tuesday by Sanjay Jaiswal, chief whip of the BJP in Lok Sabha.

 

According to reports, the office of the whip is not mentioned in the Constitution of India, the Rules of the House, or any parliamentary statute. It exists solely by convention within the framework of parliamentary government.  Read: Decoded: How is a Waqf created, and what are the powers of Waqf Board?

What are the different types of whips?

There are three types of whips, classified by their severity:

 

A one-line whip is issued to inform members about a vote. It allows them the discretion to abstain if they choose not to follow the party line.

 

A two-line whip directs members to be present in the House during the vote, although it does not mandate how they must vote.

 

A three-line whip is the strictest form. It directs members to vote strictly in accordance with the party line. The issuance of a three-line whip in India signals the party’s serious commitment to the Waqf Bill’s passage in the Lok Sabha. 

What happens if an MP violates a whip in Lok Sabha?

If a member of a political party violates a whip’s directive, the whip may recommend the member’s immediate disqualification from the House on grounds of indiscipline. The Speaker of the respective House has the authority to decide on the matter, with no specified time limit.

 

If the whip, for any reason, chooses not to pursue action against a party member for violating a directive, any other member of the House may bring the matter to the Speaker’s attention.