Which Parties Support 'One Nation, One Election' and Which Don't'

Of the 47 political parties that gave their opinion to the panel on simultaneous elections, 32 have supported it, while the remaining 15 opposed the idea. The Congress has slammed the centre on 'one nation, one election' saying that this is good just at the idea level. While talking to ETV Bharat, Senior Supreme Court advocate and senior Congress leader Vivek Tankha said that this cannot be implemented under the present system of parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model. Reports ETV Bharat's Amit Agnihotri.

New Delhi:A high-level panel headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step, followed by local body polls within 100 days in its report on 'one nation, one election' submitted to President Droupadi Murmu.

As many as 47 political parties gave their opinion to the panel on simultaneous elections, of which 32 supported it, while the remaining 15 opposed the idea. BJP and Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP), which is part of the BJP-led NDA, were the only two national parties that backed simultaneous elections.

The Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Communist Party of India (Marxist) were the four recognised national parties that opposed simultaneous polls. Opinion was sought from 62 political parties and several interactions over the last many months were held over the matter.

The 15 parties opposed simultaneous polls over concerns that the one nation one election idea could violate the basic structure of the Constitution, was anti-democratic, was anti-federal, would marginalize regional parties and encourage dominance of national parties, and would lead to a presidential form of government.

Those who supported simultaneous polls include BJP, NPP (as national parties) and AIADMK, All Jharkhand Students’ Union (AJSU), Apna Dal (Soneylal), Asom Gana Parishad, Lok Janshakti Party (R), National Democratic Progressive Party (of Nagaland), Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, Mizo National Front and United People’s Party Liberal of Assam; JD(U), Biju Janata Dal; Shiv Sena (a faction of which is with the NDA); and Akali Dal.

The parties which opposed simultaneous elections include, apart from the four national parties, the AIUDF, Trinamool Congress, AIMIM, CPI, DMK, Naga People’s Front (NPF) and Samajwadi Party (SP). The prominent parties which did not respond to the panel were the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, IUML, J&K National Conference, JD(S), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Kerala Congress (M), NCP, RJD, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), TDP and RLD (both BJP allies now), and the YSRCP.

Impractical, 'political gimmick'

The Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and CPI on Thursday slammed the Centre for pushing the idea of ‘one nation, one election’, saying the proposal was “impractical” and a “political gimmick” by the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

“This is good just at the idea level. This cannot be implemented under the present system of parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model. They need to amend the Constitution which will require a two-thirds majority in the two houses of Parliament,” Senior Supreme Court advocate and senior Congress leader Vivek Tankha told ETV Bharat.

“This is just a political gimmick ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The PM loves such slogans,” he said. “All the members of this panel were sympathetic to the idea. So they had to back it,” said Tankha. The Congress leader questioned the panel’s proposal to synchronize Lok Sabha, Assembly and municipality elections in the country at an appointed date.

“Even if they somehow achieve it by changing the Constitution, can they guarantee that the next elections will be the same? In the past, snap polls have been held due to political contingencies and assemblies have also been dissolved mid-term. What if a similar situation arrived in future,” said Tankha.

“Even to make a presidential form of government, they need to amend the Constitution,” said Tankha. According to Rajya Sabha MP and senior Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, the one nation one election idea does not consider ground realities of the Indian political system.

“They just think of an idea, appoint a committee and come out with a report without looking into the implementation part of it. The idea of one nation one election may sound good but is not practical. For instance, how would you convince assemblies which have been formed recently to get dissolved and seek a re-election without completing their remaining term,” Priyanka Chaturvedi told ETV Bharat.

“Then there is an issue of logistics, of having the adequate number of EVMs to conduct polls of this magnitude and the supporting staff and security establishment needed for it. We have been demanding matching of VVPAT slips with the EVM results for long to ensure transparency in the polls but the Election Commission has not responded so far. How would they implement one nation, one election,” she said.

The Shiv Sena UBT leader further slammed the Centre and the BJP over the issue of women’s reservation law which gives women 33 percent reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies but after the delimitation of parliamentary seats and fresh census.

“If you are so excited about the one nation, one election, you could have also shown the same urgency in implementing the women’s reservation bill from this Lok Sabha elections. But that did not happen as it was inconvenient,” Chaturvedi added.

“We are against this idea as it is not in tune with the Constitution in a multi-party democracy and in a country so diverse. Instead, the government should focus on comprehensive poll reforms,” CPI leader D Raja said.

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