BJD warns against haste in proposal for simultaneous elections
Biju Janata Dal on Thursday warned against rushing into the ‘one country, one election’ proposal.
The Biju Janata Dal on Thursday warned against rushing into the ‘one country, one election’ proposal and called for a thorough legal probe into the measure it initially supported.
BJD MP Sasmit Patra told PTI Videos that a number of key issues need to be clarified before going ahead with the initiative to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, legislative assemblies and local bodies.
“The party (Biju Janata Dal) initially supported the idea of ‘one nation, one election’, but what we are concerned about is the contours, the ideas and the fine print,” Patra said.
His comments came after the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal for ‘one nation, one election’ as recommended by the high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind.
Patra stressed the need for thorough research and warned against rushing into the proposal without proper consideration.
“I hope the Centre does not rush into ‘one nation, one election’ as they did with the farm laws. Otherwise, it would again be met with bitterness and opposition,” he said.
He called for open discussions involving not only political parties but also civil society and the media.
“But if you’re going to bring it, do it through legislative oversight. There are standing committees; let them look into it before it passes in the House,” he noted.
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First publication: Sep 19, 2024 | 2:53 PM IST