Consensus eluded the all-party meeting over the conduct of one nation one election.
The meeting, skipped by the left, saw the Trinamool Congress vehemently opposing it even as NDA ally Shiromani Akali Dal supported it. The AIADMK said it was not against the concept but wanted it to be implemented from 2024. The Congress, meanwhile, said it will consult other opposition parties on the issue before deciding its course of action. The BJP, which has voiced its support to the proposal, has sought more time from the Commission to present its views on the issue. It has been told to do so by July 31 as the term of the present panel ends in August end.
The one nation one election theory has been advocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the ground that it will not only help save huge taxpayers' money but also enable smooth governance as the netas would not be perennially in poll mode.
Most political parties including included Trinamool Congress, CPI, IUMl, AIADMK, which is perceived to be close to the BJP, and BJP ally, Goa Forward Party, opposed it. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a part of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, supported the proposal, which has been strongly articulated many times by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
SAD leader Naresh Gujral said elections have become very expensive and it was in national interest not to spend so much money. . "So if there is election one time only it'll be in country's interest," he said. Gujral also said that imposition of Election Code of Conduct ahead of elections impacts decision making and almost one year of five-year term of a government goes in preparing for various elections.
CPI's national secretary Atul Anjan told the Commission it had no jurisdiction over the issue, because the proposition involved a constitutional amendment-a subject that came strictly in Parliament's domain. In a reply to the commission, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury listed the party's objections to the proposal stating that it goes beyond the ambit of law reform entailing major amendments to Constitution, and would run against both the "letter and spirit of our Constitution". "The aspects of our Constitution, we believe, cannot be undermined, or tweaked. We believe that such a proposal is inherently anti-democratic and negates the principles of federalism which is a fundamental feature of our Constitution," he wrote.
Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, who put forward party's views before the law Commission, later said that Modi's concept of simultaneous elections in the country is "impractical and unconstitutional." "The basic structure of the constitution cannot be changed. We are against the concept of the simultaneous election because it is against the constitution. it should not be done. "It is impractical, not possible and contrary to the Constitution. Democracy and government should be given priority. The financial issue is secondary, first priority is the Constitution and democracy. Constitution has to be upheld," Trinamool Congress leader said. "I have given reason to law Commission. It is contrary to Article 83(2) and Article 172(1). It is contrary to both," Banerjee said.
GFP president Vijay Sardesai, a minister in Goa's cabinet, said after his meeting with the law panel that his rejection was because regional and state-specific issues would be relegated to secondary position in simultaneous elections. "The proposal is impractical," Sardesai said.
The AIADMK had supported the idea of simultaneous polls in 2015-2016, is skeptical about the proposal as it may "affect the tenure" of the state government. AIADMK M Thambidurai said that it was not possible to hold simultaneous elections in 2019." "It is not possible in 2019 because people of states like Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal, Tamil Nadu and others have voted a government for five years. let these assemblies complete their full "term," he said.
Indian Union Muslim league opposed the proposal with its secretary Khorrum A Omer saying the Commission that it will not make any significant improvement in the electoral process.
Reacting on the one nation one election issue, former Union Minister and Congress leader RPN Singh said that the Congress is in touch with other opposition parties "We are in talks with all the opposition parties and we shall be taking a joint decision on that. We are not going to boycott. We are going to talk to the opposition leaders and come up with our own suggestion," he said.
The Commission had last month reached out to all recognised national and regional parties seeking their views on the issue and invited them for one-to-one meeting in the national capital on July 7, 8 and 11. The Commission wrote to the seven recognised national and 59 state parties to attend the meet.