AAP Opposes Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ Proposal, Calls It ‘Unconstitutional’

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 24th Jan. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday opposed the Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, alleging that it is a ploy of the ruling BJP to “legalise sale and purchase” of elected representatives under its “Operation Lotus”.

The party also claimed that the BJP was proposing this election system to replace the parliamentary form of government with a presidential system.

The resource-and-cash-rich parties will use money and muscle power to suppress state issues, and voters’ decisions will be influenced if Lok Sabha and assembly elections are held concurrently, AAP spokesperson Atishi claimed at a press conference.

The response from the Arvind Kejriwal-led party came more than a month after the Law Commission issued a public notice seeking feedback from stakeholders, including political parties and the Election Commission, on the proposal to hold simultaneous elections in the country.

“The AAP vehemently opposes the proposal of ‘One Nation, One Election’, it is unconstitutional and against the basic principles of democracy. ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal is a front to legitimise ‘Operation Lotus’ and legalise sale and purchase of MLAs,” Atishi said.

The AAP has submitted its response to the Law Commission on the issue, hoping that it will peruse the party’s views “in an unbiased and non- partisan manner”, she said.

The Law Commission has solicited input from various stakeholders on six questions raised by the previous panel in its draft report on the politically sensitive subject.

“Will holding simultaneous elections, by any means tinker with the democracy, basic structure of the Constitution or the federal polity of the country?” it has asked.

To deal with the situation of a hung Parliament or assembly, where no political party has a majority to form a government, various committees and commissions propose that the prime minister or chief minister be appointed or selected in the same way that the Speaker of the House or assembly is elected.

“Will it be possible? If so, will it be in consonance and in conformity with the Tenth Schedule (disqualification) to the Constitution?” the commission has asked.

It has also inquired whether such an appointment or selection of the prime minister or chief minister by consensus among political parties or their elected members would necessitate amendment to the Constitution’s Tenth Schedule.

“If so, to what extent?” the Law Commission asked.

Atishi stated that if a chief minister and the prime minister are elected in this manner, it will fulfill the BJP’s “dreams” of running its “Operation Lotus” in a legitimate manner throughout the country.

The MLAs and MPs will then be able to elect chief ministers and the prime minister “through a direct presidential style voting” and since the anti-defection law will not be applicable in such kind of election, the BJP which is the richest party today will have a free run to bring MLAs and MPs of other party’s in its support under “Operation Lotus”, she charged.

“The proposed mechanism for selection of the prime minister and chief minister in case of hung parliament/assembly is impractical, dangerous and will lead to institutionalised defection of legislators,” Atishi said.