'One Nation, One Election' Bill cleared by Union Cabinet
A panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind had submitted a report on holding simultaneous polls and it was accepted by the Union Cabinet in September
The Union Cabinet on Thursday (December 12) approved the 'One Nation, One Election' Bill and it is likely to be introduced in the Parliament next week, reports said.
A panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind had submitted a report on holding simultaneous polls and it was accepted by the Union Cabinet in September.
According to its report, 15 political parties including the Congress and AAP had opposed the proposal.
The committee said it had approached 62 political parties, of which 47 responded — 32 including the BJP voicing support to holding simultaneous polls.
“Responses were received from 47 political parties. Barring 15 political parties, the remaining 32 political parties not only favoured the system of simultaneous elections, but also advocated its adoption for saving scarce resources, protecting social harmony, and stimulating economic development,” the report had said.
“Those who opposed simultaneous elections raised apprehensions that its adoption could violate the basic structure of the Constitution, be anti-democratic and anti-federal, marginalise regional parties, encourage the dominance of national parties, and result in a presidential form of government,” it said.
On Thursday, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said 'One Nation, One Election' is against Parliamentary democracy. "I respectfully disagree with the former President (Ram Nath Kovind). I do not know from where he is getting this calculation from. 'One Nation, One Election' is against the parliamentary democracy. A government is there only as long it has majority on the floor of the House. If they lose majority, they must face the people. I personally believe that India has about 30 states and we have about three to four elections a year which is actually good for democracy," Karti told PTI.
