'One nation, one election' campaign aims to postpone elections in five States: Prashant Bhushan
The Hindu
BJP is fearing defeat in upcoming Assembly polls in five States. So, they are going to postpone the polls till the general election in 2024 in the name of ONOE. And, President Rule will be imposed in the States, he claimed.
Renowned Supreme Court lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan alleged that the Central government has been campaigning for the “One nation, one election” (ONOE) only to postpone upcoming Assembly elections in five States.
The Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are due later this year.
"ONOE cannot be implemented in a Parliamentary democracy like India because in our system a government can fall in midterm when it loses majority and a fresh government forms," Mr. Bhushan told reporters in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
However, if the ‘one nation, one election’ will be implemented, in such a situation, Presidential rule will be imposed, which is against democracy, he claimed.
Also read | ‘One nation, one election’: Terms of 10 State Assemblies to end before or around 2024 Lok Sabha elections
"That means we are switching from democratic system to a presidential rule system. So it will be a total violation of parliamentary democracy. In my view, the government clearly knew about this and they also know that several amendments in the Constitution are required to switch to the Presidential rule system", Mr. Bhushan said.
He said the present government does not have the majority in Rajya Sabha. The government knew about all these facts. Still, they floated the balloon (one nation, one election) with only one objective to postpone the State elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram, which are due later this year.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.