Manish Tewari Leads Charge Against 'One Nation, One Election' Bill

Congress MP Manish Tewari expresses concerns over the 'One Nation, One Election' bill, asserting it threatens India's federal structure by disrupting the balance between central and state governments. The proposal to align state assembly and national parliament tenures raises significant constitutional issues, prompting strong opposition from political parties.

Congress MP Manish Tewari on Tuesday voiced strong opposition to the 'One Nation, One Election' bill, contending that it fundamentally disrupts the balance between central and state governments, thus undermining India's federal system. Tewari emphasized that India's constitutional framework identifies the country as a union of states, cautioning against arbitrarily curtailing state assembly tenures.

In an interview with ANI, Tewari questioned the notion of aligning state assembly tenures with that of the National Parliament. He articulated that federalism's core principles regard the centre and states as equal partners. Tewari challenged the bill's legitimacy, highlighting serious constitutional concerns that have led to consistent opposition since the proposal's inception.

The Congress MP stressed that any attempt to push the bill through Parliament without addressing these constitutional concerns would render it unconstitutional. He underlined that the proposal, which seeks to synchronize elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies across India, poses a significant threat to India's federal structure. Earlier, Tewari formally opposed the bill's introduction by submitting a notice to the Lok Sabha's Secretary-General, further underscoring the political contention over its potential implications.

(With inputs from agencies.)