Cong opposes 'ONOE' bill, Tewari moves adjournment notice in LS
By : DC Web Desk
Update: 2024-12-17 05:11 GMT
New Delhi: Congress MP Manish Tewari on Tuesday submitted adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha, opposing the One Nation One Election Bill (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024. The bill is set to be introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday.
In his notice under Rule 72 of the Lok Sabha’s Rules of Procedure, Tewari described the bill as a threat to India’s federal structure and democratic principles. "My objections to the proposed Bill are based on serious concerns regarding constitutionalism and constitutionality," he stated.
Tewari argued that the bill undermines India’s federal character, as defined in Article 1 of the Constitution. By proposing simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, it imposes uniformity across states, eroding state autonomy, weakening local democratic engagement, and centralising power. This, he warned, risks undermining the pluralism and diversity central to India’s democracy.
He also raised concerns about the bill’s potential amendments to Articles 83 and 172, which guarantee fixed tenures for legislative bodies. Tewari contended that such changes violate the basic structure doctrine established in the landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment. The proposed insertion of Article 82A to facilitate simultaneous elections could require premature dissolution of state assemblies, thereby contravening the principles of federalism, separation of powers, and the democratic framework, he noted.
Tewari further criticised the bill for centralising electoral processes, which he said would weaken the authority of elected state governments and grassroots democracy. He also highlighted the risk of prolonged President’s Rule under Article 356 if state assemblies are prematurely dissolved, warning that this could entrench central control and erode federalism.
Calling the ONOE bill a direct challenge to India’s federal framework, Tewari concluded that it violates the core elements of the Constitution’s basic structure and poses significant risks to the country’s democratic ethos.
Tewari argued that the bill undermines India’s federal character, as defined in Article 1 of the Constitution. By proposing simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, it imposes uniformity across states, eroding state autonomy, weakening local democratic engagement, and centralising power. This, he warned, risks undermining the pluralism and diversity central to India’s democracy.
He also raised concerns about the bill’s potential amendments to Articles 83 and 172, which guarantee fixed tenures for legislative bodies. Tewari contended that such changes violate the basic structure doctrine established in the landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment. The proposed insertion of Article 82A to facilitate simultaneous elections could require premature dissolution of state assemblies, thereby contravening the principles of federalism, separation of powers, and the democratic framework, he noted.
Tewari further criticised the bill for centralising electoral processes, which he said would weaken the authority of elected state governments and grassroots democracy. He also highlighted the risk of prolonged President’s Rule under Article 356 if state assemblies are prematurely dissolved, warning that this could entrench central control and erode federalism.
Calling the ONOE bill a direct challenge to India’s federal framework, Tewari concluded that it violates the core elements of the Constitution’s basic structure and poses significant risks to the country’s democratic ethos.
Meanwhile, on One Nation One Election Bill, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said that the Congress will oppose the introduction of the bill and demand its reference to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. "We believe it's unconstitutional. We believe it goes against the basic structure and it is meant to throttle democracy and accountability in this country. Mallikarjun Kharge had written to former President Ramnath Kovind on 17 January on why the Congress party is objecting to the very idea of one nation, one election," he said in an X post.