The Congress strongly opposed the notion of conducting simultaneous elections in the country, asserting that it contradicts the principles of federalism and the fundamental structure of the Constitution.
Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge demanded the abandonment of the idea and dissolution of the high-powered committee established for this purpose.
In a letter addressed to the secretary of the committee on “One Nation, One Election,” Kharge urged former President Ram Nath Kovind, who chairs the panel, not to permit the misuse of his persona and the office of the former president by the central government to undermine the Constitution and parliamentary democracy.
“The Indian National Congress is strongly opposed to the very idea of ‘One Nation, One Election.’ For the sake of maintaining a thriving and robust democracy, it is imperative that the entire idea must be abandoned and the high-powered committee dissolved,” Kharge stated in his letter to Niten Chandra, the committee’s secretary.
“On behalf of the Congress party and the people of the country, I humbly request the Chairman of the high-level committee 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,” Kharge emphasized in his letter.
This response came following Chandra’s letter dated October 18, where he had sought suggestions for the consideration of the high-level committee constituted by the government for the purpose of “One Nation, One Election.”
“The government, parliament, and ECI should work together to ensure people’s mandate is respected rather than divert people’s attention by talking about undemocratic ideas like simultaneous elections,” Kharge added.
