New Delhi: Senior Supreme Court lawyer and human rights advocate Prashant Bhushan strongly criticised the concept of ‘One Nation, One Election’ during the Parwana Oration 2024, organised by the Comrade HL Parwana Memorial Trust. Speaking on “Whither Economic Democracy in India” on Tuesday, Bhushan described the idea as “ridiculous and unconstitutional,” asserting that holding simultaneous elections is unfeasible in a parliamentary democracy.
He explained, “In a parliamentary system, the government must enjoy the confidence of the majority in the House. If there is a party split or defections, leading to the fall of a government, fresh elections are necessary. Imposing President’s rule for the remaining term is not a democratic solution. This renders simultaneous polls impractical and contrary to constitutional principles.”
Bhushan also pointed out that recent proposals for holding elections only for the remainder of a term would result in more frequent elections rather than reducing their frequency.
“If elections are held for just the remaining two years of a term, you’re not solving anything. In fact, this approach would increase the number of elections. This entire concept is impractical and, in my view, completely unconstitutional,” he remarked.
During his address, Bhushan also lauded recent Supreme Court judgments that stayed lawsuits related to reclaiming religious places, particularly mosques, and condemned the misuse of “bulldozer justice.”
Two bills proposing a framework for simultaneous elections were introduced in the Lok Sabha following an intense debate last week. Responding to a question from reporters about these developments, Bhushan reiterated his stance, emphasising the impracticality and constitutional issues inherent in the proposal.
