Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Refuses to Join ‘One Nation, One Election’ Panel

New Delhi: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, has declined an invitation to join the eight-member committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, tasked with exploring the feasibility of holding simultaneous parliamentary and state assembly elections in India. In a letter addressed to Home Minister Amit Shah, who is part of the committee, Chowdhury expressed his concerns over the exclusion of Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, in favour of former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Chowdhury labelled this exclusion as a “deliberate insult to the system of parliamentary democracy.” He further criticized the committee’s terms of reference, suggesting they were designed to predetermine its conclusions. He referred to the initiative as a “total eyewash” and raised suspicions about the government’s motives, given the proximity to the upcoming general elections.

The eight-member committee comprises notable individuals, including NK Singh, former chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, Subhash C Kashyap, former Lok Sabha Secretary General, senior advocate Harish Salve, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari. Their mandate, as per the gazette notification, extends beyond parliamentary and assembly elections to encompass municipal and panchayat elections.

Chowdhury’s decision to decline the invitation was driven by his concerns about the exclusion of the current Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. He highlighted the need for a more inclusive approach to uphold parliamentary democracy.

The committee’s role also involves examining whether constitutional amendments would require ratification by the states. Additionally, it aims to provide recommendations for addressing potential challenges like a hung house, no-confidence motions, defections, and other such scenarios that could arise during simultaneous elections.

One of the key objectives of the committee is to explore the possibility of a single electoral roll and identity card for voters that would be valid for national, state, civic body, and panchayat elections. This move aligns with the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-standing advocacy for ‘One Nation, One Election,’ a concept that has been part of the party’s agenda since the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.