JD(S) opposes President Mukherjee’s opinion on ‘one India, one election’

Janata Dal (Secular) general secretary Danish Ali on Tuesday opposed President Pranab Mukherjee’s idea of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, saying that the Lok Sabha issues are entirely different from that of assembly ones.

Ali told ANI that India is a multi-party parliamentary democracy and, therefore, ‘One India One election’ is not feasible in our country.

“India is not a presidential type of democracy. India is a parliamentary democracy and multi-party parliamentary democracy. Suppose, if there are elections in one go in the Lok Sabha and the assemblies then it will majorly affect smaller regional parties,” he said.

“The system will benefit the national parties, the parties, who are today running the government, just like a presidential type of government. So, the JD (S) doesn’t accept this and this issue was discussed last in March meeting called by the Election Commission of India. I opposed there as well that it is not feasible,” Ali added.

Supporting the idea of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, President Mukherjee yesterday said that such a system could ensure political and administrative stability.

While addressing 60 class XI students of Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises on Teachers Day, the President said that frequent elections, which require the code of conduct to be in place, disrupt regular functioning of the government, and that political parties could collectively take a decision on the issue.

“With some election or the other throughout the year, normal activities of the government come to a standstill because of code of conduct. This is an idea the political leadership should think of. If political parties collectively think, we can change it,” said President Mukherjee.

General and assembly polls were held at the same time between 1951 and 1967.

Explaining how simultaneous polls were held on four occasions, he said, “The executive, legislature and all participants of the political spectrum have to think of this problem to ensure administrative and political stability.”

President Mukherjee delivered a 50-minute lecture on ‘Politics in India since Independence’ at the event, organised by the Delhi Government.

Read | EC can put in ideas on holding Lok Sabha, assembly polls together: President