At the ‘Legally Speaking’ event organized by NewsX, Union Minister of Law and Justice of India ‘Arjun Ram Meghwal’ delved into the topic ‘One Nation One Election’ and shared their views and highlighted some points engaging into the topic.
Is the 2-day debate symbolic or addressing serious issues?
Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal stated, “When PM Modi assumed office in 2014, prior to this, November 26 was observed as Law Day. It was PM Modi’s vision, stemming from his days as Gujarat’s Chief Minister, to honor the Constitution. He proposed that this day be observed as Constitution Day.”
In 2015, during Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary celebrations, a circular was issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment declaring that from that year onward, November 26 would annually be celebrated as Constitution Day. This was initiated by PM Modi, and the nation accepted it. Earlier, there was no such observance.
The first Constitution Day debate was held in Parliament in 2015, where Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha discussed Dr. Ambedkar’s invaluable contribution to drafting the Constitution. This time as well, our initial parliamentary session agenda didn’t include this debate. However, opposition parties introduced issues related to events in America and began raising a ruckus.
They then suggested a debate on the Constitution. Our government has no issues with such a debate. We agreed, and subsequently, dates were set for discussions: November 13-14 in the Lok Sabha and November 16-17 in the Rajya Sabha. Today, Rajnath Singh Ji initiated the debate, highlighting the Constitution’s glorious journey.
One Nation, One Election: Opposition’s Criticism
Regarding One Nation, One Election, which the Cabinet recently approved, the opposition claims that instead of this, the focus should be on One Nation, One Health System or One Nation, One Education System.
Union Minister stated that these are separate issues, and we will brief you on them. However, I want to highlight that from 1952-1967, Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held simultaneously. The cycle was broken due to mid-term polls and Article 356 misused to dismiss state governments. This disruption leads to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct, which hinders governance and development.
PM Modi called an all-party meeting in 2019 on this subject, attended by leaders from all major parties except Congress. Former President Ram Nath Kovind led a committee to deliberate on this, which deemed it a positive step. Countries like Indonesia and the U.S. conduct elections in a similar manner, so why can’t we? It is an electoral reform that opposition parties should support rather than oppose.
Census and Delimitation
The next Census has been announced for next year. After that, will the delimitation exercise follow, especially with the Women’s Reservation Act being implemented?
Union Minister stated, “The delimitation process is constitutionally frozen until 2026. After 2026, a Delimitation Commission will determine which seats are reserved for women and reassign SC/ST seats based on population changes. The Women’s Reservation Act, granting 33% reservation in Lok Sabha and Assemblies, will be implemented in subsequent elections.”
Parliament Functioning and External Threats
On maintaining parliamentary decorum and allegations of conspiracies to destabilize India:
Meghwal stated, “Some entities seem agitated by India’s rapid economic growth and stable government. They act through international reports or controversies, like the Hindenburg or Pegasus reports, often surfacing days before Parliament sessions. This is a pattern to disrupt our institutions.”
Opposition’s No-Confidence Motion
On the opposition’s no-confidence motion against the Rajya Sabha Chairman:
Meghwal stated, “The opposition’s motion is unprecedented. They hold press conferences and malign the Vice President outside Parliament, which the Constitution doesn’t permit. Discussions should happen inside the House. This shows disrespect toward the Vice President, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
On Social Media’s Bangladesh Question
Social media is abuzz about the situation in Bangladesh and its implications for Hindus.
Meghwal stated, “This is a matter of concern. Even Dr. Ambedkar, during the partition, had warned about minorities facing atrocities in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The government is taking necessary action, and we are also exploring legal avenues to address this issue.”
“It is one of the toughest jobs to ensure consensus and functioning in Parliament, especially as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Law & Justice. These debates are crucial for our democracy, and I believe we are taking steps in the right direction.”
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