“We Have Polls All The Time”: BJP MP Hema Malini On ‘One Nation, One Election’
BJP MP and renowned actress Hema Malini on Tuesday voiced her support for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, citing the benefits of synchronised elections.
She emphasizes that frequent elections in India, unlike other countries, hinder her work as an MP due to the model code of conduct enforcement. Ms Malini argues that simultaneous elections would conserve resources, which could then be allocated to vital sectors like education and health. This perspective resonates with concerns about the economic burden of frequent elections.
“In every country, elections are held only once, not like India where we have elections all the time. Due to this, I face a lot of problems as an MP when work stops due to the enforcement of the model code of conduct. If elections are held only once, then the money saved can be used for different purposes like education and health..,” she said.
Earlier today, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024′ and ‘The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024’ was formally introduced in Lok Sabha after members voted on it.
The bill proposes a ‘One Nation One Election’ or simultaneous elections to both Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bill will be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed discussions.
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha announced the result of the vote on the introduction of the bill in the House. The vote showed 269 members in favor (Ayes) and 196 against (Noes). This followed Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal’s formal introduction of the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, on ‘One Nation, One Election’ and his agreement to send the bill to a JPC in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari opposed the move, arguing, “Beyond the seventh schedule of the Constitution is the basic structure doctrine, which spells out that there are certain features of the Constitution beyond the amending power of the House. The essential features are federalism and the structure of our democracy. Therefore, the bills moved by the Minister of Law and Justice are an absolute assault on the basic structure of the Constitution and are beyond the legislative competence of the House.”
DMK MP TR Baalu opposed the bill, stating, “I oppose the 129th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2024. As my leader M.K. Stalin has said, it is anti-federal. The electors have the right to elect the government for five years, and this right cannot be curtailed with simultaneous elections.”