The Congress party has voiced strong opposition to the recent approval of the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal. The party argues that the idea is incompatible with democratic principles and undermines the essence of timely and necessary elections.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has been vocal about his party's stance. He emphasised that 'One Nation, One Election' is not feasible within a democratic framework. According to Kharge, the integrity of democracy relies on holding elections as needed rather than consolidating them into a single schedule. "Elections need to be held as and when required if we want our democracy to survive," Kharge asserted.
Congress leader KC Venugopal also criticised the proposal, labelling it as impractical for India. He suggested that the move might be an attempt to distract from pressing current issues.
Venugopal's comments reflect the broader concern within the party regarding the feasibility and implications of such a system.
In response to the opposition’s remarks, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the media. He noted that the opposition's resistance might stem from internal pressures.
Vaishnaw highlighted that a significant majority of respondents, particularly the youth, expressed strong support for the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative during the consultation process.
The proposal for simultaneous elections was brought into the spotlight following the submission of a detailed report by a high-level committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
The committee's extensive report, which spans over 18,000 pages, was submitted to President Droupadi Murmu earlier this year. The report is the result of over 190 days of consultation and research, aimed at assessing the viability of aligning national and state elections.
Follow us
