New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that when the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill was taken up in the cabinet for approval, Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested that the bill be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed discussions.
Shah said, “When the One Nation, One Election Bill was taken up in the cabinet for approval, PM Modi had said that it should be sent to the JPC for detailed discussion. If the Law Minister is willing to send the bill to JPC, the discussion on its introduction can end.”
Supporting Shah’s remarks, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal proposed that a JPC be formed to facilitate a detailed discussion on the bill.
Responding to points raised by opposition members, Meghwal added that the High-Level Committee had already conducted extensive discussions on the proposal.
Meanwhile, DMK MP TR Baalu opposed the bill, stating, “I oppose the 129th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2024. As my leader M.K. Stalin has said, it is anti-federal. The electors have the right to elect the government for five years, and this right cannot be curtailed with simultaneous elections.”
Congress MP Manish Tewari also opposed the move, arguing, “Beyond the seventh schedule of the Constitution is the basic structure doctrine, which spells out that there are certain features of the Constitution beyond the amending power of the House. The essential features are federalism and the structure of our democracy. Therefore, the bills moved by the Minister of Law and Justice are an absolute assault on the basic structure of the Constitution and are beyond the legislative competence of the House.”
Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav echoed the opposition’s concerns, saying, “I am standing to oppose the 129th Amendment Act of the Constitution. I cannot understand how, just two days ago, no stone was left unturned to uphold the glorious tradition of saving the Constitution. Within two days, this Constitution Amendment Bill has been brought to undermine the basic spirit and structure of the Constitution. I agree with Manish Tewari, and on behalf of my party and my leader Akhilesh Yadav, I have no hesitation in saying that there was no one more learned than the makers of our Constitution at that time. Even in this House, there is no one more learned. I have no hesitation in saying this.”
Earlier in the day, Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved to introduce the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha, paving the way for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal. The proposal seeks to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies across the country.
Additionally, the law minister sought to introduce bills to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, as per the day’s schedule. These amendments aim to align assembly elections in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry with the proposed simultaneous elections. (ANI)
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