Kerala assembly unanimously passes resolution opposing 'One Nation, One Poll'

The Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the 'One Nation, One Poll' proposal, citing concerns over federalism, state rights, and the threat to democratic and constitutional principles.

In Short

• Kerala Legislative Assembly passes unanimous resolution opposing 'One Nation, One Poll'
• Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh presented the resolution in chief minister’s absence
• Opposition leaders supported the resolution, citing threats to the federal system

The Kerala Legislative Assembly on Thursday, October 10, unanimously passed a resolution opposing the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, marking a significant stand against the central government’s push for simultaneous elections.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister MB Rajesh presented the resolution, as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was absent due to health reasons.

Presenting the resolution, Rajesh expressed strong opposition against the central government’s proposal, saying it violates the principles of the Indian Constitution. He argued that the move is part of the BJP and RSS agenda to centralize governance and undermine India’s federal structure.

“It is anti-democratic to treat elections for Parliament, state assemblies, and local self-government bodies merely as an expense. This is an attempt to erode India’s rich cultural, social, and political diversity,” Rajesh said. He emphasized that instead of imposing such drastic changes, simpler measures to reduce election costs could be implemented. “Destroying the federal system enshrined in the Constitution is tantamount to denying the rights of state and local governments, and it also challenges the fundamental rights of the people,” he added.

Rajesh further pointed out that the proposal is an attack on the constitutional authority of state governments to hold elections for local self-government institutions, undermining their autonomy.

The Opposition, led by Mannarkad MLA N Samsudheen, expressed full support for the resolution. The United Democratic Front MLA echoed the concerns about the proposal’s impact on the federal structure, calling it a threat to state governance and democratic processes.

During the debate, the Opposition also suggested certain amendments to the resolution, some of which were accepted by the ruling party. Despite these modifications, the core message remained unchanged: the Kerala Assembly stands firmly against the central government's push for simultaneous elections.

The resolution was passed unanimously, with both the ruling and opposition parties in agreement.

WHAT IS ONE NATION, ONE ELECTION?

In simple terms, ‘One Nation, One Election’ refers to holding Lok Sabha, Assembly, and local body (urban or rural) elections in the same year, if not at the same time.

This practice was followed from independence until 1967, with four electoral cycles beginning with the first general election in 1951/52. After that, simultaneous elections occurred only for the 1957, 1962, and 1967 elections.

However, the early dissolution of some state governments in 1968 and 1969, along with the premature termination of the Lok Sabha in 1970, disrupted this cycle. It must be noted that this applied only to central and state elections.

WHICH OTHER STATES ARE OPPOSING?

Apart from Kerala, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin, both members of the INDIA bloc, have voiced their concerns against the ‘One Nation One Election’ proposal. Banerjee slammed it calling it a "design to subvert the basic structure of the Constitution" and Stalin called it an "impractical idea".

There are about 15 parties opposing the implementation of One Nation, One Election, which include many from the INDI alliance including Congress, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Samajwadi Party along with many other regional parties.