‘Constitutional monstrosity’: P Chidambaram attacks One Nation, One Election Bill
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram argued against simultaneous elections in 2029. He stated the proposed legislation violates constitutional basics and federal democracy principles. Chidambaram believes the bill's text prevents elections in 2029, which he sees as fortunate. The parliamentary committee received suggestions to define grounds for deferring state polls. Opposition parties plan a…
On Tuesday, prominent Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member P Chidambaram criticized the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) Bill, asserting that simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies cannot occur in 2029, even if the legislation is passed. Chidambaram appeared before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the ONOE Bills, arguing that the proposed legislation infringes upon the basic features of the Constitution, particularly parliamentary democracy within a federal nation.
In a post on X, Chidambaram disclosed that he was not permitted to reveal his evidence before the JPC but explained the core of his argument.
The JPC chairman, PP Chaudhary, stated that simultaneous elections may be feasible in 2029, but Chidambaram dismissed this notion, contending that the Bill's provisions stipulate that the 'appointed date' can only be a date following a general election. Since the subsequent Lok Sabha election is slated for 2029, Chidambaram contended that simultaneous elections are not feasible in that year.
He emphasized that if the Bill were to pass—which he deemed unlikely—the appointed date would be after the 2029 general election, thereby making simultaneous polls impossible.
Chidambaram further criticized the legislation, labeling it a "Constitutional monstrosity" in the context of parliamentary democracy within a federal country. He pledged that the Congress and other Opposition parties would undertake a nationwide campaign against the ONOE Bills, denouncing them as detrimental to the nation's democratic framework.
The parliamentary committee examining the ONOE legislation received suggestions to replace subjective discretion in deferring state assembly elections with defined and judicially traceable grounds, along with fixed outer limits for such deferrals. The proposed constitutional amendments, including the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, were introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, 2024, and referred to the JPC for thorough examination.
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