BENGALURU: The Karnataka government is likely to pass a resolution opposing the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal of the Union Government.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that if needed, the Congress government in the state, will take a similar resolution like Kerala and send out a strong message against this “anti-democratic move”.
Siddaramaiah said that the Kerala government has already passed a resolution opposing the proposal and has communicated its dissent to the Centre. “If needed, our government will also consult the Congress high command and adopt a similar resolution,” the Chief Minister elaborated.
Opposing the Union cabinet’s move on ‘One Nation, One Election’, Siddaramaiah termed it as a gimmick by the Modi government to divert attention from its “colossal failures”. “This is not about electoral reforms but about consolidating power and undermining the democratic spirit of our nation,” Siddaramaiah added.
Expressing displeasure over the move in his ‘X’ account, Siddaramaiah said that the Centre’s approval of the policy is not only an assault on parliamentary democracy and the federal structure of India but also a sinister conspiracy to curb the rights of states. He said at a time when the current electoral system is in dire need of reforms, such a proposal will only weaken the foundations of democracy further.
“Before approving such a critical bill, the Modi government should have consulted opposition parties and state governments. However, true to its authoritarian tendencies, the BJP-led central government is trying to impose this undemocratic proposal on the country,” the CM alleged.
Further, Siddaramaiah said that this proposal provides no solutions to the crises that arise when the Ruling party loses its majority in the Lok Sabha or Assemblies. “In such situations, the only democratic remedy is to conduct fresh elections. Allowing a minority government to continue in power despite losing confidence would be nothing short of treachery against democracy. For the implementation of such a flawed electoral system, amendments to the Representation of the People Act and at least five key provisions of the Constitution would be required. Moreover, the current Election Commission lacks the capacity and resources to conduct simultaneous elections across the entire country,” the Chief Minister added.