Finance
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Constitution Amendment Bill for ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE Bill) in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The tabling of the ONOE Bill set the ground for yet another showdown in Parliament, with opposition parties protesting its ‘anti-constitutional and anti-democratic’ nature.
In a harsh assessment of the administration, congressional leaders requested that the Bill be removed immediately.
Home Minister Amit Shah rebutted the charge, claiming that the Congress party has made it a habit to oppose progressive legislation.
The TDP, a crucial BJP partner, declared unflinching support for the ONOE Bill, claiming that it will not only ease India’s budgetary load but also reduce electoral expenses by more than 40%.
The Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), AIMIM, and other parties also spoke out strongly against the ONOE Bill.
All of them condemned the Bill as an assault on the Constitution and a reckless attempt to ‘destroy democracy and introduce authoritarianism and dictatorship.’
The AIMIM president, Asaduddin Owaisi, expressed objection to the Bill, claiming that it was intended to eliminate all regional parties.
“This is aimed at maximising political gains to a certain party and will pave the way for a presidential form of government,” he said, slamming the BJP-led Centre.
The ONOE Bill proposes holding simultaneous elections for both the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies by synchronizing their tenures.
The ONOP has been a long-standing poll pledge for the BJP-led NDA.
Top opposition figures such as Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, and MK Stalin have previously criticized simultaneous polls, calling them a step toward “authoritarian democracy.”
According to reports, the Lok Sabha Speaker would likely submit the freshly tabled Bills to a Joint Committee of Parliament for further deliberations.
Source: IANS
