CM Sukhu opposes ‘one nation, one election’ Bill, gives opinion to JPC
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said the Congress was opposed to the ‘one nation, one election’ Bill and he had made some suggestions before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) which was visiting the state to elicit views on the issue.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, pertaining to the proposal of ‘one nation- one election’, held a meeting with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here today. The JPC headed by PP Choudhary engaged in detailed deliberations on the proposed ‘one nation, one election’ framework with Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri here today. The Chief Minister presented the view point of the Congress as well as of the Himachal Government before the JPC.
Member of Parliament from Hamirpur constituency Anurag Thakur also attended the meeting as a member of the Committee.
“We have given certain suggestions on strengthening of democracy which must be incorporated. We were informed about the Draft Bill and we found that the ambit of the Bill had been widened,” he said. “We have given a suggestion that by-elections should be held within one year and not six months as is the mandate presently,” he said.
Sukhu said the Assembly elections in Himachal were due in 2027 and in case the amendment comes into effect from 2029 then what will the term of that government which is elected to power in the next Vidhan Sabha polls. “We sought clarification on some issues like what happens if the tenure of a regime is not over, government falls or MLA resigns,” he said.
Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania also met the JPC and shared his views on the proposed Bill. “Implementing the ‘one nation- one election’ Bill will curtail the term of the legislative Assemblies which will be against the laid down norms,” he said.
The Speaker said several administrative steps will have to be initiated in case the ‘one nation-one election, Bill is to be implemented. He however, admitted that the concept is good from the viewpoint that it will helpful in checking huge expenditure that has to be made on holding elections every now and then.
Supporting the ‘one nation-one election’ Bill, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the holding of simultaneous elections will put an end to the time wasted in repeated elections and the functioning of the government coming to a standstill for months together.
He said the Lok Sabh and Assembly elections were held simultaneously from 1951 to 1967 in India and in Himachal till 1977. “One nation-one election is the need of the hour and though terms of some assemblies might get curtailed in the long run it will be in the interest of the country,” said Thakur.
Himachal Tribune