‘Doesn’t Take Rights Of States, Keeps Federal Structure Same’: Meghwal On One Nation, One Election

Last Updated:December 30, 2024, 20:52 IST

Arjun Ram Meghwal while speaking to News18 said the bill is now with a joint parliamentary committee that will come together in January for their first meeting.

Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal pictured after an all-party meeting ahead of the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi. (IMAGE: PTI)

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the ‘One Nation One Election’ bill does not take any rights away from the states and keeps the federal structure “same".

“No rights from the states will be taken away by this bill. (The) federal structure will remain (the) same," Meghwal told News18.

He said the bill is now with a joint parliamentary committee for wider consultations with various stakeholders.

The proposed legislation seeks to align elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has long been a strong supporter of this idea.

“It was such a big reform bill that was introduced under the leadership of PM Modi," the minister said.

Currently, elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies are conducted separately, either at the end of their five-year term or when a government is dissolved due to specific circumstances.

The minister said elections have been held simultaneously in the past as well and it should not be politicised.

Simultaneous elections began with India’s first general elections in 1951-52, held alongside Vidhan Sabha polls. This practice continued until 1967, when the emergence of hung assemblies interrupted the cycle.

“One Nation One Election is being done constitutionally. We have not brought the bill in haste. The bill was introduced in the parliament after long consideration. The first joint parliamentary committee will meet on January 8th for their first meeting," he added.

Congress has claimed that the bill goes against the guarantees of federalism on several occasions. It said that it ‘imposes uniformity across states’ challenging the federal framework of government.

‘We Have Members In Parliament’

The minister also said the government has enough numbers in the parliament to pass the One Nation One Election bill passed in the Parliament. “We have the members in the parliament to get the One Nation One Election Bill passed," Meghwal told News18.

“It is a historic, electoral-reform bill," the Union Law Minister said, adding that only “a few political parties are opposing it". He also said the government is open to considering suggestions from the public as well.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind, who chaired a high-level committee on the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, revealed in October that 32 political parties expressed support for the initiative, while 15 opposed it.

On December 17, the Union Cabinet gave its nod to bills aimed at implementing the proposal. The Opposition INDIA alliance raised strong objections to the Bill, arguing that the government lacked the two-thirds majority needed for such constitutional changes. However, parliamentary rules suggest that a special majority might not be required to introduce Constitutional Amendment Bills.

It tabled the One Nation, One Election Bill in the Lok Sabha after a division vote, with 269 members in favor and 198 against the proposal.

News politics ‘Doesn’t Take Rights Of States, Keeps Federal Structure Same’: Meghwal On One Nation, One Election