One nation, one election: Opposition says bills undermine state legislatures, shift power to Election Commission | Mint

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal tabled on Tuesday the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bills, paving the way for simultaneous elections, in the Lok Sabha today, December 17.

The two bills approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet on Thursday include The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The introduction of bills triggered protest from the opposition with most of the leaders in the INDIA bloc objecting to it. Minister Meghwal, after Union Minister Amit Shah’s interference, said the government was ready to refer the bills to the Joint Parliamentary Committee for wider consultations.

Here is what the opposition leaders said on the bill:

-We oppose these Bills intended for one nation, one election. These Bills are an assault on the basic structure of the Constitution and against Democracy. It lacks legislative competency. The term of State legislatures cannot be made subject to the term of Lok Sabha. Keeping in mind the Basic Structure doctrine, these Bills have to be withdrawn – Congress MP Manish Tewari.

-I am standing to oppose the 129th Amendment Act of the Constitution, I am not able to understand just two days ago, no stone was left unturned in the glorious tradition of saving the Constitution. Within two days, the Constitution Amendment Bill has been brought to an end the basic spirit and the basic structure of the Constitution. I agree with Manish Tewari and on behalf of my party and my leader Akhilesh Yadav, I have no hesitation in saying that there was no one more learned than the makers of our Constitution at that time, even in this House, there was no one more learned, I have no hesitation in saying this – Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav.

-These Bills hit the basic structure of the Constitution. Article 83(2) is against proposed Article 84(5). Tenure of State legislatures cannot be subject to the tenure of Lok Sabha. States are not subordinate to Parliament. These Bills take away the autonomy of the State legislatures. Proposed Article 82(5) gives enormous powers to ECI and ECI will decided whether or not to hold elections. We oppose these Bills – TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee.

-We oppose the Bills for one nation, one election. When the Govt does not have two-third majority, how can they pass these Bills ? These Bills need two third majority of the house to be passed. The simultaneous elections will add more to the public exchequer, not less. We request the matter to be taken to JPC for consultation – DMK MP TR Baalu.

-These Bills are an attack on the Constitution, democracy and federalism. We oppose the Bills – IUML MP ET Basheer.

What is one nation one election proposal?

The bills that pave way for unified elections across the nation has been on the agenda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) for quite some time now.

The Winter Session of Parliament that began on November 25 will end on December 20.

Once passed in the Parliament, the Lok Sabha, the Assembly, and the local body (urban or rural) elections will be held in the same year, if not at the same time. The first step is to hold Lok Sabha and Assembly polls together. Local body elections will be held within 100 days, the panel recommended.

If the Bill gets passed without any changes the ‘One Nation, One Election’ initiative could be implemented from 2034.

These Bills are an attack on the Constitution, democracy and federalism.

The term of State legislatures cannot be made subject to the term of Lok Sabha.