New Delhi:
Fifteen Opposition parties, spearheaded by the Congress, have set themselves against the “One Nation One Election” proposal, which was green-lighted by the Union cabinet today. The proposal — part of the report of the panel headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind — has been adopted, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the media after the cabinet meeting.
The Congress has said the plan is not pragmatic or practical. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge has called it “an attempt to divert the attention of the public”.
“This is not going to succeed… the people will not accept it,” he said while releasing its manifesto for next month’s assembly elections in Haryana.
Under the plan, which proposes simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, is backed by the NDA and many judges of the Supreme Court. Under it, urban body and panchayat polls have to be held within 100 days of the general and state election.
But implementing it would require two-third majority in parliament, since it involves amendment of the constitution. At least six amendments would be required to bring it into effect. After this, it has to be ratified by all states and Union Territories.
While the NDA has a simple majority in both houses of parliament, getting two-thirds majority in either house could prove a challenge. Of the 245 seats in Rajya Sabha, the NDA has 112, the Opposition parties 85. For a two-thirds majority, the government needs at least 164 votes.
Even in the Lok Sabha, the NDA has 292 of 545 seats. The two-thirds majority mark stands at 364. But the situation could be dynamic, since the majority would be counted only in terms of the members present and voting.
