"Cheap stunt" by "anti-democratic BJP" says Trinamool's Derek O'Brien after PM Modi's Cabinet clears 'One Nation, One Election'

New Delhi [India], September 18 : Terming its as a "classic PM Modi-Amit Shah Jumla," Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Wednesday said that the Union Cabinet clearing the proposal for holding simultanous elections for Lok Sabha and state Assemblies is just another "cheap stunt from the anti-democratic BJP."
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.
"One Nation, One Election is just another cheap stunt from the anti-democratic BJP.
Why were Maharashtra elections not announced along with elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir? Here's why. The Maharashtra government announced the Ladki Bahin scheme in the budget this June. The first tranche reached the bank accounts of women in August and the second tranche will reach beneficiaries in October. You can't do three states in one go and you talk about One Nation, One Election. And also tell us, how many constitutional amendments, including curtailing or extending terms of state assemblies, will be done! Classic Modi-Shah Jumla," Derek O'Brien said.
Earlier in January this year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Dr Nitin Chandra, Secretary, High-Level Committee-One Nation, One Election and expressed her strong disagreement with the proposal of "One Nation, One Election" and questioned the concept of "one-nation" in the given context.
"If some Commissions/Committees have supported simultaneous elections throughout the country, there have been some others which have felt that simultaneous elections cannot be held within the existing framework of the Constitution. We need to go into the basics of the rationale and should not rely on discriminatorily edited excerpts of reforms reports here and there in favour of a biased view," the West Bengal chief minister wrote in her letter to the secretary of the panel.
"I do not understand the exact Constitutional and structural implication of the term "one nation" in the instant case. Does the Indian Constitution follow the concept of 'One Nation, One Government? I am afraid, it does not. Our Constitution conceives of the Indian nation in a federal manner. Therefore, the Indian nation has been given a Union Government and several State Governments. If the framers of the Indian Constitution did not mention the concept of 'One Nation, One Government, how have you arrived at the concept of 'One Nation, One Election'? Unless this basic enigma is sorted, it is difficult to arrive at any firm view on the catchy phrase," she stated in the letter.
She further said that the fundamental issue is not to discuss "the advantages of simultaneous elections to Parliament and the State legislatures", as you have put it in your letter under reference.
"The issue is about why and how to arrange simultaneous elections to the Parliament and the State legislatures in the current circumstances and in the prism of the basic structure of our Constitution. The issue is not about "creating the ecosystem that would enable simultaneous elections", as you have put it in your letter. The issue is that of evolving the philosophy and correct methodologies for addressing the questions above. The issue is not about imposing an unviable scheme from above. The issue is about plurality," she stated.
The recommendations were made in a report of a high panel committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "The Union Cabinet has accepted the recommendations by the high-level committee on 'One Nation, One Election. Cabinet approved the proposal unanimously."
The Union Minister further said that the proposal will be implemented in two phases.
"In the first phase, Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections will be held and in the second phase, local bodies elections (Gram Panchayat, Block, Zila Panchayat) and urban local bodies (municipality and municipal committees or municipal corporations)," the Minister said.
Vaishnaw said that recommendations of former President Ram Nath Kovind's panel will be discussed across India on various forums.
"Implementation group to be formed to take forward recommendations of Kovind panel on simultaneous polls," the Minister said.
Vaishnaw further said that a large number of parties across the political spectrum have actually supported the One Nation, One Election initiative.
"When they interact with high-level meetings, they give their input in a very succinct manner and with a lot of clarity. Our government believes in creating a consensus on items that affect democracy and the nation in the long run. This is a subject, a topic that will strengthen our nation," the Union Minister said.
The Kovind-led High-Level Committee on 'One Nation-One Election' led by former President Ram Nath Kovind in its report stated that frequent elections create an atmosphere of uncertainty and impact policy decisions, adding that holding simultaneous elections would bring enhanced certainty in policy making.
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.
While highlighting the advantages of simultaneous elections, the committee stated that 'One Nation One Election' ensures ease and convenience to voters, avoids voters' fatigue, and facilitates greater voter turnout.
The Committee was briefed by these bodies that intermittent elections had adverse consequences on economic growth, quality of public expenditure, and educational and other outcomes, besides upsetting social harmony.
The panel headed by former president Kovind had submitted the report in March ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.
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.