Will oppose simultaneous elections 'tooth and nail': Congress

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday, December 20, said ‘one nation, one election’ was against the basic structure of the Constitution and asserted that it would oppose the idea “tooth and nail”.

The opposition party also said the idea of ‘one nation, one election’ was anti-democratic and anti-federal.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh wondered how the government would muster the two-third majority required for a constitutional amendment when it could not even assemble 272 MPs at the time of introduction of the bills that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections.

“It has been referred to a joint committee of Parliament. Our view is very clear, this is anti-democratic and anti-federal. It goes against the basic structure of the Constitution,” Ramesh told PTI.

This government could not even muster 272 MPs at the time of introduction of the bills. How are they going to get two-third majority for amending the Constitution, he asked.

Ramesh said, “It (‘one nation, one election’) is anti-democratic completely. It is anti-accountability, anti-democratic and anti-federal and we will oppose ‘one nation, one election’ tooth and nail — lock stock and barrel.”

His remarks come days after two bills, including one requiring an amendment in the Constitution, that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections were introduced in the Lok Sabha after a fiery debate. It has been sent to a joint committee of Parliament consisting of 39 MPs.

While the panel already includes the BJP’s PP Chaudhury and Anurag Thakur, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of the Congress is another prominent member.

While 27 members on the panel will be from the Lok Sabha, 12 will be from the Rajya Sabha.

The Rajya Sabha on Friday adopted through voice vote a motion to nominate 12 of its members to the joint committee of Parliament that will scrutinise the two bills proposing simultaneous elections.

Soon after the Upper House met following an initial adjournment in the morning, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to move a motion to nominate to the panel members of the Rajya Sabha.

Moving the motion, Meghwal said the Upper House resolved to nominate 12 members to serve on the joint committee.

Minutes before the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday, it adopted a resolution recommending the two bills to a joint committee of Parliament.