NEW DELHI: The opposition on Tuesday rejected the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill which was tabled in the Lok Sabha today. After the introduction, Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is expected to request that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla refer the Bill to a Joint Committee for broader consultations, as per TOI sources.
The bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on December 12, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing it as a crucial step for India’s democracy.
Also read: Government likely to propose setting up of JPC to examine ‘One Nation One Election’ Bill
In September, the Union Cabinet accepted the recommendations of a High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind. The committee proposed implementing simultaneous elections in two phases, starting with the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, followed by local body elections within 100 days. It also recommended a common electoral roll for all elections.
Here’s how the opposition reacted:
‘Attempts to bring new Constitution’: Congress
The Congress said that it believes that the bill is “unconstituional” and “goes against the basic structure” of the Constitution. The party also alleged that the while Bharatiya Janta Party’s NDA allies, TDP and JD(U) “may not openly oppose it, they don’t want this Bill.
Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said the Bill is aimed at “throttling democracy and accountability” in the country. He further alleged that the “real” objective of the current government is to “bring a new Constitution.”
“We believe it goes against the basic structure and it is meant to throttle democracy and accountability in this country. Mallikarjun Kharge had written to former President Ramnath Kovind on 17 January on why the Congress party is objecting to the very idea of one nation, one election,” he said.
“They rejected this Constitution on 30th November 1949 saying that it doesn’t derive inspiration from the values of Manusmriti and so on. One nation, one election, is only a first step, the real step is to completely change this Constitution, replace this constitution with a new constitution,” he added.
‘Move towards dictatorship’: SP
Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the bill calling it “undemocratic” and that it will prove “fatal for true democracy”. Sharing a list of concerns against the bill the SP chief said that if the bill passes “autocracy” will take place of democracy and the country will “move towards dictatorship”
He also once again challenged the government saying that if it is so sure about the bill then, “why delay, dissolve the central and state governments and hold elections immediately.”
“Tomorrow these BJP people will demand dissolution of Rajya Sabha as well and will give a new slogan ‘One country-one assembly’ to bring their dictatorship. Whereas the truth is that in our country, considering the state as the root, there is a constitutional provision for the continuity of ‘Rajya Sabha’. Lok Sabha is for a period of five years,” he said.
“If the BJP feels that ‘One Nation, One Election’ is a good thing, then why delay, dissolve the central and state governments and hold elections immediately. Actually, this is also a slogan like ‘Nari Shakti Vandan’,” the SP chief added.
‘Wrong, against the Constitution: Shiv Sena (UBT)
Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi also slammed the Bill and alleged a “tampering with the process of elections.” She said that it was “unfortunate” that the “constitution is being attacked in this manner.”
“Attacking the Constitution in this manner is very unfortunate. Tampering with the process of elections, working against federalism is one such way of the Central Government to centralise power,” she told news agency ANI.
“It is not known yet how cost-effective it will be…I believe it is wrong and against the Constitution, and this is very certain that when it will be introduced in the Lok Sabha, the opposition will oppose it strongly and it will be sent to the select committee or the JPC,” she added.