Kerala Assembly unanimously passes resolution against ‘one nation, one election’
Simultaneous elections would weaken the powers of state legislatures and leave local self-government institutions irrelevant, the motion said.
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The Kerala Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution against the Centre’s “one nation, one election” proposal, reported The Hindu.
The resolution was tabled by Kerala Minister for Local Self-Government and Parliamentary Affairs MB Rajesh.
The resolution claimed that the proposal would weaken the powers and rights of state legislatures and leave local self-government institutions irrelevant.
The proposal reflects an “anti-democratic mindset”, is in opposition to constitutional values and undermines the parliamentary democratic system, read the resolution, according to The New Indian Express. “The proposal is also viewed as a sinister ploy to nix the socio-cultural and political diversity of the country,” it added.
On September 18, the Union Cabinet cleared the report of a committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind recommending a two-step approach for implementing simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has for long been pushing for simultaneous elections, Opposition parties have criticised the proposal on the grounds that it undermines federalism.
The resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly on Thursday also said that the plan would further centralise power in favour of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Sangh is the Hindutva party’s ideological parent.
It also said that elections cannot be viewed only through the lens of monetary expenditure and that doing so would be undemocratic.
“The proposal disrupts federalism, which...
