NDA stirs debate on one nation and one election

Spread the love

‘One nation, one election’ not possible, says Congress

By Raisina Correspondent

New Delhi, September 16: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on occasion of 100 days of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the office claims that the agenda of ‘one nation, one election’ is on the agenda. But the Congress has claimed that ‘one nation, one election’ is not possible under the existing Constitutional arrangement.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram said on Monday that the plan for ‘one nation, one election’ is not possible under the Constitution. “At present, the NDA does not have sufficient numbers to pass such a constitutional amendment in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,” asserted Chidambaram.

Also Read: Amit Shah pivots security in Jammu and Kashmir polls

The Congress leader was reacting to reports in the media that the government will push for the agenda of the ‘one nation, one election’. The NDA government in the third term has a reduced strength in parliament.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell short of the majority mark in the Lok Sabha. The BJP is dependent on the NDA allies to stay in power at the Centre.

Yet, the NDA ally, the Janata Dal (United), has spoken in favour of ‘one nation, one election’. The Telugu Desam Party, another NDA ally, has not yet stated position on the idea of a single election assertively.

The Centre had constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of former President Ramnath Kovind. This committee made several recommendations in its report.

Also Read: Arvind Kejriwal battles time against ‘chakravyuh’

The Kovind panel favoured ‘one nation, one election’. It recommended holding assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously.

The Kovind panel among other recommendations advocated one identity card, one electoral roll. It had called for a single electoral roll for all elections, from the local bodies to the Lok Sabha.

The government is yet to work out consensus. The Opposition parties remain opposed to the idea of holding a single election in the country.

“One nation, one election is not possible in the country under the current provision. At least five constitutional amendments will have to be made to implement this law. At present, the central government does not have enough numbers to pass such a constitutional amendment in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha,” said Chidambaram.

Also Read: Democracy triumphs in J&K as politics mainstreams

The constituents of the Opposition bloc, the Indian National Developmental and Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), hold grounds against the idea of ‘one nation, one election’. They argue that such an exercise in one go is totally impractical.

The Opposition parties base their arguments on the fact that elections not necessarily give decisive mandate in favour of one political formation. “Many times coalition governments are formed at the Center and in the states. In such a situation, if the government is unable to complete its term, how will the government be run at the Center and the state,” argue the Opposition parties.

The NDA government on the other hand asserts that a single election will help the country avoid the episodes of polls throughout the year. A single election will also help achieve policy stability at the Centre and the state, argue the government.

Join WhatsApp channel of The Raisina Hills