Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday tabled the constitutional amendment bills for holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously in the Lok Sabha.
‘The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 could be referred to a joint committee of the two Houses.
The introduction of the bills was followed by sharp attacks by MPs of the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress.
Congress MP Manish Tewari opposed the bills for simultaneous elections in the country, saying that they assault the Constitution’s basic structure doctrine.
“Introduction, consideration of one nation, one election bills beyond the legislative competence of this House, urge govt to withdraw it,” he told the Lok Sabha.
Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav opposed the bills for simultaneous polls, calling them an attempt by the BJP to bring in ‘dictatorship’ in the country.
“I am not able to understand just two days ago, no stone was left unturned in the glorious tradition of saving the Constitution. Within two days, the Constitution Amendment Bill has been brought to an end the basic spirit and the basic structure of the Constitution. I agree with Manish Tewari and on behalf of my party and my leader Akhilesh Yadav, I have no hesitation in saying that there was no one more learned than the makers of our Constitution at that time, even in this House, there was no one more learned, I have no hesitation in saying this…” the SP MP said.