Owaisi: ‘One Nation, One Election’ Undermines Federalism
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has voiced strong opposition to the ‘one nation, one election’ proposal recently approved by the Union Cabinet, arguing that it undermines federalism and threatens democratic principles.
In a reaction to the Cabinet’s decision, the Hyderabad MP stated that he has consistently opposed this initiative, describing it as a “solution in search of a problem.” He emphasized that it “destroys federalism and compromises democracy,” which are fundamental to the Constitution.
Owaisi pointed out that frequent elections are beneficial for democratic accountability, asserting, “Multiple elections are not a problem for anyone except Modi and Shah. Their need to campaign in municipal and local body elections does not justify simultaneous polls.”
The Union Cabinet’s approval follows recommendations from a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, which submitted its report in March, just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Kovind committee proposed a one-time transitional measure, suggesting that the Union government designate a specific date after a Lok Sabha election. All state assemblies holding elections after this date would have their terms synchronized with that of Parliament.
Owaisi had previously warned that ‘one nation, one election’ would be detrimental to the multiparty parliamentary system and federalism. He criticized the concept as unconstitutional and expressed concern that the government had already made a decision to move forward with it.
