The ‘One Nation, One Election’ bills, introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, faced strong opposition in the Lok Sabha today.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday moved the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bills for introduction in the Lok Sabha, and said that objections raised to the One Nation, One Election Bill are “political” in nature. The Law Minister also said that the One Nation, One Election bills are in line with the Constitution and do not assault the basic structure doctrine. Soon after it was introduced, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the House that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opined that the Bill should go to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for wide consultations.

“When the Bill came to the cabinet, even then the Prime Minister was of the opinion that the Bill should be sent for a larger parliamentary scrutiny and be referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee,” Shah said. “I will propose that the Bill be sent to JPC Law Minister Arjun Meghwal,” Shah added. “The Bill will be discussed in at the Joint Parliamentary Committee and discussed again when the cabinet considers the recommendations of the JPC,” he added.

Moments later, N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) also declared an ‘unwavering’ support to the One Nation, One Election bills. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, TDP MP and Minister Chandra S Pemmasani said, “To express on behalf of the TDP, I offer unwavering support for the One Nation, One Election Bill. There are several benefits of this Bill.”

WHO ALL OPPOSED ONE NATION, ONE ELECTION BILL?

As the Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha, the Opposition demanded the withdrawal of the same and alleged it was an assault on the basic structure doctrine of the Constitution.

Congress – Speaking in the Lok Sabha, MP Manish Tewari said, “I rise to oppose the introduction of the Constitution 129th Amendment Bill 2024 and the Union Territories Laws Amendment Bill 2024. Beyond the seventh schedule of the Constitution is the basic structured doctrine and that basic structure doctrine spells out that there are certain features of the Indian Constitution which are beyond the amending power of this House also.”

“One of the essential features is federalism and the structure of our democracy. Therefore the bills which have been moved by the Minister of Law and Justice absolutely assault the basic structure of the Constitution and are beyond the legislative competence of this House. Therefore they need to be opposed and the introduction of those bills have to be stopped,” he added.

Samajwadi Party – Party member Dharmendra Yadav termed the Bill as “an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to bring in ‘dictatorship’ in the country”, and added, “I am standing to oppose the 129th Amendment Act of the Constitution, I am not able to understand, just two days ago, no stone was left unturned in the glorious tradition of saving the Constitution. Within two days, the Constitution Amendment Bill has been brought to an end, the basic spirit and the basic structure of the Constitution.”

“I agree with Manish Tewari, and on behalf of my party and my leader Akhilesh Yadav, I have no hesitation in saying that there was no one more learned than the makers of our Constitution at that time, even in this House, there was no one more learned,” he said.

NCP-SP – Supriya Sule in the Lok Sabha said either the One Nation, One Election Bill should be withdrawn, or be referred to the Parliamentary Committee.

Shiv Sena (UBT) – Party leader Anil Desai said, “I rise to oppose the introduction of this Bill. The Republic of India is a Union of the States and considering this Bill, it will be a direct attack on federalism and it will be undermining the entity of states.”

AIMIM – All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the Lok Sabha said, “I oppose this draconian and unconstitutional Bill. This Bill indirectly introduces the presidential style of democracy and is based on maximising political gains and convenience. This Bill will finish off regional parties and is brought in to massage the ego of the supreme leader.”

DMK – Party MP TR Baalu said, “I oppose the 129th Constitution Amendment Bill 2024. As my leader (Tamil Nadu Chief Minister) MK Stalin has said, it is anti-federal. The electors have the right to elect the government for five years and the same cannot be curtailed with simultaneous elections.”

Trinamool Congress (TMC) – MP Kalyan Banerjee in the Lok Sabha said, “This proposed Bill hits the basic structure of the Constitution itself. We must remember that the state government and the state legislative assembly are not subordinate to the Central government or to the Parliament itself. This Parliament has the power to legislate the law under the Seventh Schedule List One and list three. Similarly, the state assembly has the power to legislate law under the Seventh Schedule list two and also list three. Therefore, by this process, the autonomy of the State Legislative Assembly is being taken away.”

CPI(M) – Party member Amra Ram opposed the One Nation, One Election bills and said such bills attack the basic structure of the Constitution.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) – Party MP ET Muhammed Basheer in the Lok Sabha said, “I express my very strong opposition to this Bill because this is an attack on the democracy and Constitution and federalism of India. If this amendment is implemented, some states will have tenure lesser than three years.”