Chennai, Jan 18: In a staunch declaration on Wednesday, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) reiterated its resistance to the idea of conducting simultaneous elections to the Parliament and state Assemblies. The party went a step further by urging the high-level committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, tasked with examining this issue, to immediately cease its proceedings.Expressing their dissent, the DMK warned of seeking legal remedies should the committee persist in its examination of the matter. The party’s stance is articulated in an elaborate letter addressed to the committee, outlining the grounds for their opposition.
The DMK contends that the very constitution of the high-level committee, formed under the executive powers vested in the Union government by Article 73 of the Constitution, is invalid. According to the party, this formation violates the Constitutional provision restricting Parliament to make decisions only on subjects within its legislative powers.
The core of the DMK’s objection lies in the perceived impracticality of simultaneous elections, which they argue is contrary to the foundational principles of the Constitution, particularly the sacrosanct principle of free and fair elections. The party asserts that such a move could compromise the integrity of the electoral process.