Former CJI N.V. Ramana Raises Legal Concerns Over ‘One Nation, One Election’ Proposal
In a recent session of the Parliamentary panel examining the “One Nation, One Election” proposal, former Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana, expressed concerns regarding the legal viability of conducting simultaneous elections across the country. Justice Ramana highlighted that implementing such a system would necessitate extensive constitutional amendments, which could face significant legal challenges.
The “One Nation, One Election” initiative aims to synchronize elections for the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament) and all State Legislative Assemblies, thereby reducing the frequency of elections and associated expenditures. However, Justice Ramana pointed out that aligning the terms of various legislative bodies would require altering fundamental aspects of the Constitution, including provisions related to the tenure and dissolution of legislatures.
Legal experts have echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that such sweeping changes could be susceptible to judicial scrutiny. They caution that the process of amending the Constitution to facilitate simultaneous elections must be approached with meticulous legal consideration to withstand potential challenges in the courts.
The Parliamentary panel continues to deliberate on the feasibility of the proposal, taking into account the legal complexities and the diverse political landscape of India.
