“Impractical And Unrealistic…Not In Favour Of Country”: Opposition Opposes ‘One Nation, One Election’

New Delhi [India]: Opposing the government’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, the opposition parties attacked the “impractical and unrealistic” proposal of the Union government and said that it is not in the “favour” of the country. 

CPI leader D Raja said that many experts have pointed out that under the current Constitution, this cannot be taken forward. 

“One Nation, One Election is impractical and unrealistic. Many experts have pointed out that under the current Constitution, this cannot be taken forward. When Parliament meets we must get details on this. If it is pushed, then we need to study the consequences,” D Raja said.

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari said, “BJP and their ideology never adopt democracy, the reason is that elections never take place in their own institution… Whatever will be the statement of our party on One Nation, One Election, that will be our statement too,” Patwari said. 

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat termed the Union Cabinet decision “gimmick” and said that ‘One Nation, One Election’ will need many constitutional amendments. 

“This decision is a gimmick. They can see an inevitable defeat in Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana and also in by-elections. I have heard that the BJP has got the information that even RSS top leadership thinks that the BJP is going to lose in Maharashtra and Jharkhand… It (One Nation, One Election) will need many constitutional amendments, but they can’t pass it, either in Lok Sabha or in Rajya Sabha on their own… This is not acceptable as it is not in the favour of the country or the federal structure that we have,” Rawat said. 

Congress leader TS Singh Deo said, “This is not possible in today’s time and under the Constitution… Suppose – One Nation One Election has been implemented from January 2025, now elections will be held simultaneously for the Legislative Assemblies and Lok Sabha of the entire country. If the government of a state or the Center falls after two years and this government is elected for five years, that is, its next election will come in 2032 (where the government has collapsed) and elections will be held in 2030 at other places, then what will happen to One Nation, One Election in this situation? This is not possible at all… What will happen to those provisions of the Constitution that say that it is mandatory to conduct elections in those vacant seats that have remained vacant for six months? This provision will also have to be amended again.”

AAP MP Sandeep Pathak questioned the government and queried is this a sinister plan to destabilise states?

“Few days ago, elections for four states were to be announced, but they (BJP) announced elections for only Haryana and J&K and left Maharashtra and Jharkhand. If they cannot conduct elections in four states simultaneously, how will they manage simultaneous elections in the whole country… What if a state government falls before completing its full term? Will the President’s rule be imposed in that state? Is this a sinister plan to destabilise states?” Pathak  said. 

BRS leader KT Rama Rao said, “We will have to see how they go forward with this.”

Samajwadi Party leader Ravidas Malhotra suggested the BJP call an all-party meeting if the government wanted implement ‘One Nation, One Election’.

“If BJP wants to implement ‘One Nation, One Election’, then it should call an all-party meeting on national presidents of all opposition parties and leaders of different political parties in Lok Sabha,” Malhotra said. 

JMM spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said that the government decisions are pushing us towards imperialism.

“This country is run by federal structure. These decisions are pushing us towards imperialism. It’s neither possible nor practical… It’s an attack on the constitution, “Bhattacharya said. 

Earlier today, the Cabinet approved the government’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal which proposes simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, with urban body and panchayat polls to be held within 100 days.

The recommendations were made in a report of a high panel committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

The report, comprising 18,626 pages, is an outcome of extensive consultations with stakeholders, experts and research work over 191 days, since the constitution of the High-Level Committee on September 2, 2023.

The proposal will now be tabled in Parliament and must be cleared in both houses the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha – before it becomes the law.