After Congress, Aam Aadmi Party Raises Concerns Over 'One Nation, One Election' Proposal

In response to the High-Level Committee's invitation for views on 'One Nation, One Election' (ONOE), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has expressed concerns about the potential 'damage to the idea of parliamentary democracy, basic structure of the Constitution & federal polity of the country.'

The AAP, through a detailed submission, highlighted constitutional issues and challenges posed by the proposed ONOE, emphasizing the importance of preserving democratic values.

The party contended that simultaneous elections may infringe upon democracy's fundamental principles, impacting free and fair elections, federalism, and the parliamentary system.

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The party argued that ONOE could restrict the conduct of elections for five years, limiting citizens' democratic power within this timeframe.

The submission raised concerns about the disregard for the will of the people when a government continues in office despite losing confidence.

Furthermore, the AAP also raised concerns about the impact of ONOE on free and fair elections, suggesting that it could provide an unfair advantage to the ruling party at the national level.

The party argued that regional and smaller parties may face challenges, potentially affecting the multi-party system.

Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge firmly opposed the 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, labeling it as undemocratic and contrary to the Constitution’s “guarantees of federalism”.

In a letter to the ONOE panel, Kharge said that “even common voters” feel that its “consultations” are likely to be a “pretense since minds have already been made up”.

Echoing similar sentiments as AAP, Kharge said, "The government and this committee should have been honest in stating at the outset that what they are attempting goes against the basic structure of the Constitution and will require substantial changes to the basic structure of the Constitution…"

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