A committee investigating whether the ‘one nation, one poll’ system can be implemented in a country with 140 crore citizens should be dissolved, according to Congressman Mallikarjun Kharge.
“The entire concept of ‘One Nation, One Election’ is fiercely opposed and says unacceptable.
And also Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed his opposition to the idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’ in India. In a letter to the committee’s secretary, Kharge urged former President Ram Nath Kovind not to allow the Union government to abuse his persona and office to subvert the constitution and parliamentary democracy in the country. He argued that the entire idea must be abandoned and the high-powered committee dissolved to maintain a robust democracy. Kharge’s letter to Niten Chandra, the secretary of the committee, echoed his views on the issue.
M Kharge opposes ‘One Nation, One Election’
The Indian National Congress has been adamantly against the concept of having simultaneous elections across the nation, calling it “undemocratic” and in violation of the constitution’s and federalism’s safeguards. Congressman Mallikarjun Kharge has insisted that the concept be dropped and that the powerful committee tasked with researching it be disbanded. He raised his fears that the committee had already made up its conclusion and accused it of using consultation as an “eyewash” in a letter to the secretary of the committee.
Furthermore, Kharge expressed protest of the committee’s makeup, stating that opposing parties were not adequately represented. It would be necessary to dissolve many legislative assemblies to have simultaneous elections, he claimed, and doing so would constitute a betrayal of the voters in those states. The claim that holding concurrent elections will save money was also rejected by Kharge, who noted that election expenses make up a very minor portion of the overall budget.
Undemocratic ideologies must be rejected, claims Kharge
Congressman Mallikarjun Kharge sought the removal of the powerful committee tasked with studying the notion of having simultaneous elections, branding it as “undemocratic” and going against the fundamental principles of the Constitution and federalism.
Besides, he asked former president Ram Nath Kovind, who is leading the committee, “not to allow his persona and the office of the former president of India to be abused by the Union government to subvert the constitution and parliamentary democracy in this country” in a letter to the secretary of the committee on one nation, one election. Kharge also criticized the ECI committee in India for being biased and not giving representation to Opposition parties. He argued that the committee’s recommendations could be seen as a pretense, as the former President of India’s views have already been expressed in public. Congress chief, Kharge, criticized the lack of systematic analysis of the pros and cons.
One Nation, One Election: ‘Against Basic Structure Of Constitution’
Congressman Kharge has criticized the notion of a “One Nation One Election,” arguing that having elections at the same time violates the fundamental provisions of the Constitution. The head of Congress, however, said that the concept of having national elections simultaneously violates the principles of federalism and the fundamental framework of the Constitution.
Although, Kharge, a member of the Congress party, has expressed his opposition to the idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’, stating that it is crucial to abandon the idea and dissolve the high-powered committee responsible for it. Kharge’s letter, in response to Chandra’s October 18 letter, urged the government, parliament, and ECI to work together to respect people’s mandate and prevent undemocratic ideas like simultaneous elections. He urged the Chairman of the high-level committee not to be abused by the Union government to subvert the constitution and parliamentary democracy.
