THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Dec 17: Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill (Constitution 129th Amendment Bill, 2024) in the Lok Sabha today. Reports suggest that the government will recommend sending the bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further deliberation after its introduction.
Notably, the BJP had issued a whip to its MPs ahead of this session. Meanwhile, the Congress held an emergency meeting this morning and issued a three-line whip to its members. The opposition continues to voice its strong opposition to the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal.
Opposition parties against the bill
Congress MP Manish Tewari criticized the bill, calling it unconstitutional, while Jairam Ramesh described it as a declaration to alter the Constitution. Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav stated that his party would oppose the bill. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi termed it an attack on the Constitution, and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee opposed the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, asserting that it goes against the fundamental spirit of the Constitution.
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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced his opposition, labeling it another conspiracy to undermine the Constitution. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi also opposed the bill, calling it anti-democratic.
TDP, YSRCP support the bill
BJP’s ally, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has expressed full support for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill and has issued a whip to its MPs.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP PV Mithun Reddy also backed the bill, stating that their state has already been conducting state elections simultaneously with general elections (Lok Sabha). He affirmed the party’s support for the bill.
National interest, not a party issue: Kiren Rijiju
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju clarified the government’s stance, stating that this is not a party-specific issue but a matter of national interest. He remarked that the country will see how Congress consistently maintains a negative approach.
Rijiju reminded that when the nation gained independence, there was a system of ‘One Nation, One Election,’ which Congress later altered to suit its own agenda. He emphasized that the frequent elections in the country lead to significant losses for the nation.
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