India News | AAP Slams '??one Nation, One Election'?? Push, Calls It Misplaced Priority

New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday termed the Centre's push for the 'one nation, one election' initiative a diversion from the issues important for the country.

The Union Cabinet earlier in the day approved bills to implement 'one nation, one election.'

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A high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind had made recommendations on simultaneous elections, which were accepted by the Cabinet in September.

AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal in a post on X said, "The country needs One Nation, One Education, and One Nation, One Healthcare System, not One Nation, One Election. This reflects BJP's misplaced priorities."

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There was no immediate response available from the BJP over the allegations.

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the initiative was a distraction and questioned its feasibility and logic.

"If a government loses its majority midway, won't midterm elections be held? This proposal is not as straightforward as it seems," Singh told PTI Videos.

He also pointed out that many states were at different stages in their electoral cycles.

"Governments have recently been formed in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana, while the terms in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are ongoing. How will you conduct elections for the entire country at once? What about states with remaining tenures?" Singh asked.

The MP also dismissed the central government's argument that simultaneous elections would reduce expenses.

"Will the number of voters decrease? Will the number of EVMs be reduced? The same number of voters will participate whether elections are held all at once or at different times. This claim of cost reduction is baseless," he said.

He also challenged the idea that the Model Code of Conduct disrupts governance.

"The MCC applies only for specific periods and regions, whether for state or national elections. The argument about its impact on governance is misleading," he said.

"The reasoning behind this initiative lacks substance. It is more of a diversion tactic than a genuine reform," he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)