Congress Calls For Disbanding ‘Undemocratic’ One Nation, One Election Panel

New Delhi: The Congress wants the ‘one nation one election’ panel to be disbanded.

Flaying the “undemocratic” idea of holding simultaneous polls in the country, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the BJP’s push for ‘one nation one election’ system goes against federalism and the Constitution’s basic structure.

“The Indian National Congress is strongly opposed to the very idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’. For the sake of maintaining a thriving and a robust democracy, it is imperative that the entire idea must be abandoned and the high-powered committee dissolved,” Kharge stated in a letter to Niten Chandra, the secretary of the committee.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind heads the eight-member committee.

In his letter, Kharge urged the former President “not to allow his persona and the office of the former President of India to be abused by the Union government to subvert the Constitution and Parliamentary democracy in this country.”

The committee held its first two meetings in September and October, and has asked the public to send suggestions.

Kharge alleged the committee seems to have “already made up its mind and seeking a consultation seems to be an eye wash.”

“The government, Parliament and ECI (Election Commission of India) should work together to ensure the people’s mandate is respected rather than divert people’s attention by talking about undemocratic ideas like simultaneous elections,” Kharge stated.

Congress, which has been opposed to the idea from the very beginning, alleged that the composition of the committee is “biased”.

Kharge said the committee was formed without discussion with Opposition parties that are in power in many states.